


Lying to Myself

by ItsAJ_B1tches, Jenicorn, venom_for_free



Series: Lying To Myself [1]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! - All Media Types, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: BDSM, Bondage, Dom Yami Yuugi | Atem, Dom/sub, Emotional, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sub Kaiba Seto, dark themes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2019-08-17
Packaged: 2019-09-05 15:43:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 157,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16813645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsAJ_B1tches/pseuds/ItsAJ_B1tches, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jenicorn/pseuds/Jenicorn, https://archiveofourown.org/users/venom_for_free/pseuds/venom_for_free
Summary: While at a conference unveiling his latest invention, Kaiba becomes drawn to a mysterious stranger who leads him down a path of personal discovery and recovery.





	1. Baby, I know that you know I'm an animal. And darling you can't tame this kind of man.

**Author's Note:**

> Three countries.  
> Two continents.  
> One story.
> 
> Enjoy.
> 
> Proteges of author: [prettiugli](https://archiveofourown.org/users/prettiugli)

Kaiba inhaled the cool night air as he stepped outside.

He lifted his head towards the sky, allowing the gentle autumn breeze to drift over his face. He exhaled, feeling considerably more relaxed.

Outside, the noises from the afterparty were nothing but a distant, muffled sound.

Outside, there was only the chirping of crickets and leaves rolling gently across the hotel grounds as the breeze bothered them from where they had settled after falling from the trees.

Outside, it was peaceful.

Kaiba walked over to where he could see a stone gazebo, located towards the edge of the grounds, nestled between some blossom trees. Large evergreen hedges flanked the stone steps that led into the gazebo. As he did so, he reflected on the days events.

_It was the final day of this damned conference. Three fucking days of being stuck indoors listening to so and so talk about their newest discoveries in whatever science field they happened to specialize in. Boring._

Of course, Kaiba had to make his appearances. Not that he paid much attention to most of it.

He paid enough attention to be able to discuss it with people once the presentations were done, but that was it.

He didn’t see the point of wasting his time and energy on something he didn’t care for, or something that was just completely unnecessary for him to know about.

Kaiba was ahead of everyone in his field of science technology.

_What did it matter to him that someone who specializes in human biology may have unlocked the secrets of the appendix. People had many different theories about that one. What made this scientist think he’s the one with the breakthrough?_

The way Kaiba saw it, he still had his appendix and if it started causing him pain then he had the best paid doctors around him to remove it. End of story.

But of course, Kaiba still had to show up to the presentation. After all, Kaiba was funding the event this year.

He was the VIP.

He reached the gazebo without noticing, too lost in his own thoughts.

Today had been his turn to present. It was the one that everyone had been speculating the most about.

And it lived up to the hype.

Today, Kaiba had presented the new prototype for their latest generation of duel disks, that were set to make his last one look like a child had created it. That’s what the early reviews were saying, at least.

They proved to be much more practical to carry around, as well as having the newest, top-of-the-range virtual reality technology that Kaiba Corp. had created.

The best feature, according to Mokuba at least, was the fact that it was equipped with a complete card catalog, including new cards that Pegasus was set to release. The way Mokuba had seen it, you could use that to help you out rather than relying on your memory to help you remember what cards actually existed. Kaiba had been rolling his eyes when Mokuba had told him his reasoning.

“Wonderful night, isn’t it?”

Kaiba jerked his head round as he was rudely snapped out of his thoughts. _Couldn’t he have any fucking peace around here?!_ He turned to snap at whoever had followed him out, but quickly replaced whatever snark comment he was about to give with a loud groan, as he saw who was there.

“Enjoying it that much are you, Kaiba-boy?” Pegasus quipped, stepping beside him.

Kaiba glared.

It’s bad enough that he had to work alongside Pegasus for his new duel disc, as well as the presentation earlier that day. Now Pegasus was here to ruin the one chance he has had for peace since Friday.

_He has not had enough to drink to deal with this! Although, going by Pegasus’s appearance, he has had more than enough wine,_ Kaiba mused.

Now that Pegasus was close to him, Kaiba could make out the faint smell of wine on his breath. His face was also incredibly flushed, and his eyes were glazed over, making them appear brighter than normal.

_Great_ , Kaiba thought. _He’s even more unbearable than usual like this._ He turned his face away to stare at some sparrows flitting about amongst the trees close by.

Next to him, Pegasus moved to sit on the white marble bench that was situated towards the back of the gazebo.

Pegasus stared at Kaiba’s back, noticing the tension in his shoulders and the way he seemed to keep his gaze fixed on a point in front of him.

It was always the same whenever he had to interact with the young CEO. He worked far too hard and allowed himself no time to enjoy what he’d earned and live a little.

Pegasus sighed. _Despite what Kaiba may think, he really did care for him. He respected him for the ruthless businessman he was_.

But Pegasus mourned for the time Kaiba was losing out on.

_He’s so young that he should enjoy himself. Even when playing Duel Monsters, Kaiba didn’t allow himself to enjoy the game as just as a game. Instead it was just another problem that he had to overcome.He had to be the best._

Pegasus shook his head forlornly. _Oh well, what could he do?_

“Your presentation was excellent this afternoon, Kaiba-boy. It was completely flawless. You should really kick back and let yourself enjoy the rest of the night. Have a glass of wine or two.” Pegasus suggested, and after he spoke, his stomach churned in pleasure.

He let out a little moan.

Kaiba turned to face him, confused.

Pegasus’s head was tilted forward, hair fanning the sides of his face, glowing silver in the moonlight.

“And I think you’ve had one too many.” Kaiba replied, annoyed at his business partners usual antics.

Whenever they had an event, Pegasus would always end up drunk. How he successfully runs Industrial Illusions, Kaiba would never really know. Well, he did.

Despite Pegasus’s love of wine and partying, no one could deny the business acumen that he possessed. Not to mention his charisma helped when it came to pitching ideas. Underneath it all, he did have the ruthlessness to easily dispose of weak parts. When it came down to it, Kaiba respected and envied the man for being able to live, yet still run his business smoothly.

Pegasus waited for the sensations rising from his center to dull down before he raised his head and let out a tinkling laugh.

“Ooohh. I don’t think I’ve had that many. If you’re concerned, you could always drink the other glasses for me.” Kaiba rolled his eyes, and Pegasus threw his head back and laughed again.

All of a sudden, it turned into a deep moan and Pegasus curled into himself, clutching his stomach, his breaths starting to come in broken pants.

Kaiba stood rooted to the spot.

Was he okay? Should he get some help _? Maybe it was his appendix?_ Kaiba thought _. He should get the human biology specialist. He’d know._

Kaiba was just about to move, when Pegasus reached out a hand and gripped his wrist.

Tight.

“Don’t...go.”

“But, you’re in pain!” Kaiba exclaimed, trying to get his wrist free. _God, Pegasus was strong for someone pissed out of his head_. Pegasus let out another laugh, mixed with another moan.

“Such innocence, Kaiba-boy.” At this point, Kaiba could see the flush had spread down the older CEO’s neck, past his collar. There was also sweat dripping down his forehead.

_What was going on?_ Kaiba didn’t know what to do. Pegasus kept letting out tiny groans and moans. His grip was increasing as his breathing got heavier.

“Pegasus!”, Kaiba growled. “Let. Me. Go!”

He had to get some help. At this point, Pegasus was starting to let out a stream of mumbled words. Kaiba listened intently, hoping to catch something he might recognise. He was losing patience quickly as his panic increased.

“What?” he insisted.

“Switch...it...off!” Pegasus shouted. 

“Switch what off?!” This was making less and less sense the longer it went on.

Pegasus was now shifting on his seat. He was going to fall off, and take Kaiba down with him! Kaiba gritted his teeth, trying to keep him up. A full-bodied shiver went through Pegasus, and he let out a really long, low groan.

“Switch it off! Switch it off!” he begged desperately.

Another moan.

This time, he fell to the ground and curled into himself, clutching his stomach with both hands.

“Please!” he all but screamed.

Kaiba could do nothing but watch, eyes wide, panic keeping him from moving. As he stared, he saw shivers run through Pegasus’ body, sweat had matted his hair.

“Ple-ase.” He begged again.

“B-but..I didn’t...switch what off?!” Kaiba was getting frustrated.

_How drunk was Pegasus? He should call for an ambulance. He might need his stomach pumped_. As Kaiba reached for his phone, Pegasus let out a huge sigh of relief and the tension seemed to leave his body.

_What_?! Kaiba thought, not being able to make sense from the scene playing out in front of him. 

He watched, as the CEO of Industrial Illusions took shaking breaths, trying to calm himself down. Then, he started laughing. It was weak and broken, but Pegasus was definitely fucking laughing.

He turned his head where it rested on the ground and looked at Kaiba.

“That was evil.” he exclaimed, weakly.

Kaiba couldn’t believe it. What? What was evil?! But then he realised, Pegasus wasn’t actually looking at him. He was looking at a spot beyond his shoulder.

Kaiba turned around to look. 

At the foot of the gazebo, standing under the shadows of the hedges, Kaiba could make out an outline.

Kaiba and Pegasus weren’t alone.

“Who are you? Show yourself!” he demanded.

His patience was already at breaking point. He watched as the shadow stepped into the moonlight, away from the cover of the trees. Kaiba’s breath caught in his throat. 

The person who had appeared was unnervingly endearing. He had an amused smirk on his face and … his eyes! His eyes were an intense violet, outlined by thick, black eyeliner. They glinted mischievously, and seemed to hold a promise of...something.

Kaiba didn’t know what that was, but God, he really wanted to.

Blonde, spikey strands of hair fell to the side of his face, covering part of it in shadows, while the moonlight cast an eerie glow on the red spikes at the back of his head.

And the way he stood.

It was like he was The King and he knew everyone was below him. His hips jutted out to the side slightly, while one hand was casually stuck in the pocket of his trousers seemingly clutched around something as his hand seemed to be in the shape of his fist, judging by the outline. The trousers, Kaiba registered, were extremely well fitted. In fact, the deep, royal blue shirt tucked into his trousers was also extremely well fitting. Every move the man made caused the muscles to ripple under the silky fabric of the shirt.

He moved towards him, almost like a fox stalking his prey.

Kaiba couldn’t move.

His mind had gone blank and his mouth was dry. All he could think of was not breaking eye contact with this mysterious stranger, lest the magic surrounding them would break.

The man was quickly closing in on him.

He was five feet away.

Four feet.

Three feet.

He was two steps away.

_God he even smelled good. He smelled of fresh laundry that had been left to dry on a warm summers day, with a musky, masculine scent mixed in_. Kaiba wanted to drown in it.

He was right next to him.

And then he was gone. 

Kaiba blinked, clearing his head. Well that was unlike him, to say the very least.

_Wait. Who was this guy?_ He turned around to see that the mystery man had knelt down next to Pegasus, who had sat up, his back leaning against the bench.

They were talking in low voices, too softly for Kaiba to hear anything. The way the man was touching him and talking to him seemed to be very comfortable. As if they knew each other... _intimately_.

Kaiba looked on stunned. 

He saw how the mystery stranger’s hands brushed Pegasus’s hair out of his face, gently. Soothingly. Almost lovingly. Pegasus leaned into the touch.

He graciously took a sip of water the man had provided. _Wait, where did that come from?_ Kaiba looked around, and spotted a water fountain set into the wall of the gazebo.

_Huh. He really hasn’t paid attention to anything tonight._ Kaiba mused. _Except to the stranger._ His brain unhelpfully added.

Heat started rising to Kaiba’s cheeks because yes, that is very much true. That feeling caused Kaiba’s anger to erupt.

“Can someone tell me what the fuck is going on?!” Pegasus and the stranger looked up from where they were embracing each other, the stranger rubbing soothing circles across his back.

“Sorry, Kaiba. I forgot you were there for a second.” Pegasus responded, exhaustion seeming to lace his every word.

He closed his eyes, enjoying the sensations of the mystery man's gentle touches, and the comfort of his warmth.

Kaiba didn’t have time for this.

“Now would be fucking great.” he growled, irritation visible in his tone.

Pegasus laughed again. “Very well. Kaiba, meet Yami. Yami, meet Kaiba-boy. Of course, you knew that, you sneaky bastard.”

“Careful Pegasus. Unless you want me to leave you for the rest of the night.” Yami spoke.

Kaiba’s breath once again got caught in his throat at the sound of the man’s voice. It was deep and every word he spoke seemed to drip with honey. At the same time it screamed authority. A promise of pain and repercussions were present in every word he spoke, as if daring Pegasus to disobey. Kaiba knew. Kaiba did the same thing when holding meetings with those below him. Pegasus seemed to feel the same way. He let out a nervous little giggle.

“Of course. I’m sorry, your Majesty.” He dipped his head low apologetically, but his eyes were looking up underneath his eyelashes showing a sign of defiance that he was daring Yami to challenge.

Kaiba laughed at the nickname Pegasus used.

“Your Majesty? And here I thought you were the King, Pegasus.” Kaiba quipped, his panic had long since disappeared.

All he wanted to do now was leave and go to his room. He was exhausted and just wanted the day to be over. On the other hand, he really wanted to know more about what had just happened. Pegasus and Yami looked over at Kaiba.

The way Yami watched him was unnerving. It was as if he was sizing him up, trying to pick out all his faults and weaknesses. He didn’t like it. Kaiba crossed his arms protectively over his chest and gave his most intimidating stare.

“Is anyone actually going to answer my question?”

Another tinkling laugh from Pegasus.

“Are you sure you want to know? I’d hate to break your innocence.”

Kaiba responded with yet another glare. Pegasus held his hands up as if surrendering.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Now where to begin.”

Kaiba waited, irritation making his skin itch. At least Kaiba pretended that it was the irritation and not Yami’s stare that seemed to see straight into his soul.

“Well, I guess we can only state the facts.” Pegasus declared. He looked Kaiba dead in the eye. “Yami is a dominus.”

Kaiba’s mind once again found itself blank. He blinked once. He blinked again. What? A dominus? Kaiba let out a laugh, and he couldn’t stop. He had to be kidding!

Pegasus and Yami just watched, waiting for Kaiba to regain his composure. Kaiba wiped a tear from his eye, as he felt himself start to gain control again.

“Good one. I needed that.” Kaiba stated, looking at Pegasus.

But as he looked, he saw an amused smile on his business partners face and that same amused smirk on Yami’s face. His eyes were still fixed on Kaiba with the same look he’s worn all night. The look that seemed to be undressing him. One that seemed to be daring him to make a wrong move. For what, Kaiba didn’t know. But it was there. It was a look that pierced Kaiba’s very skin, and it made him feel naked despite his layers of clothes.

Kaiba’s smile faltered. _Pegasus was joking...right?_

Kaiba looked closer at the way Yami was holding Pegasus, and the way Pegasus was sitting next to him. Yami almost seemed to be holding him in a possessive way. It was the way he had his hand clasped on Pegasus’s shoulder as if he was claiming him. It was the way he had his body tilted, appearing larger despite how much smaller he was than Pegasus.

And it was his eyes.

That’s what the promise was.

A promise of ownership.

“Oh.”

Kaiba suddenly felt really uncomfortable. Yami had been looking at him...had he been sizing him up? Looking for all the ways he could take him apart until he was nothing more than a squirming, panting mess on the floor like Pegasus?!

Kaiba paled.

_What were they doing earlier?_ It was as if Pegasus had read his mind.

“That, uh, scene shall we call it, was all part of our fun.” Pegasus coughed to clear his throat. “We’ve been playing all weekend and tonight was a chance to explore our limits, shall we say. You just happened to be a witness. Or a part of the plan that I wasn’t aware of.”

He glanced over at Yami, who just smiled at him, tilting his head mischievously. Kaiba still didn't get it. Pegasus seemed to notice. He shook his head, almost as if in sympathy.

“Kaiba, Kaiba, Kaiba. I knew you were innocent but I didn't know you were that innocent.” He looked up at him giving a soft smile. “Vibrators are a lot of fun.”

Kaiba felt as though a black hole had swallowed him up whole. His whole body was cold and clammy while his hands had started to sweat. He knew his nervousness was showing on his face but right now, he didn't care. He needed to get away. He didn't want to be a part of this game. Yami looked at him, concern showing on his face.

“Kaiba. Are you okay?” Kaiba jumped at the sound of his name being spoken in that rich, silky voice.

“No! I'm not okay! You - and he, and...that!” He stuttered out. He took a deep breath, composing himself. He stood his ground, feet set apart and gave his worst glare. “How dare you make me a part of your sick games. It’s disgusting, and you should be ashamed of yourselves for being so public about it.”

Yami raised his eyebrows at Kaiba’s outburst.

“And why, please tell, is it so disgusting?”

Kaiba floundered, trying to find a suitable response. “Well,because… I don’t have to explain my reasoning to you.”

Kaiba realised that wasn’t a good argument, and if someone said that to him he would rage. Yami, on the other hand, seemed to take pleasure from his response. He raised one eyebrow at him and crossed his arms, his smirk growing larger.

“That’s true.”, was the only thing he said.

Awkward silence surrounded them, Kaiba had to resist the urge to shift under the weight of Yami’s stare. Finally Yami spoke up.

“You know,” he began. “No one is forcing you to stay. You’re free to leave.”

Kaiba was stunned. Was this man dismissing him? No one dismissed him! He was the one who dismissed people! However, Kaiba wasn’t about to miss this chance to leave. Without looking back, he turned on his heels and left. He could feel Yami’s gaze on him until he turned the corner out of sight.

\--------

The door slammed shut behind him and he leaned back against it. Kaiba breathed a sigh of relief.

He was safe here. Kaiba was the only one who had a room on this floor, a request he made sure was implemented when he booked the event. He rubbed a hand against his face. He was exhausted. At the same time he was all jittery and full of nervous restlessness.

He couldn’t believe what he’d just witnessed. Kaiba just shook his head as if he could shake the memory from his mind. He pushed himself off the door, and headed over to the bathroom.

A shower would clear his head.

\---------

“Urgh. Twen...ty fo-ur!!”

Kaiba sat up quickly in bed, sweat clinging to his skin. He was having the weirdest dream filled with dark eyes and an evil smirk. He was rudely awakened from his sleep by what sounded like a wounded animal coming from outside. However, there were no noises except for the faint rustling of the trees.

Kaiba looked around.

His window was open letting in the cold breeze from outside. Kaiba realised he was starting to shiver from where the wind was settling on his sweat covered skin. He looked at the alarm clock that was situated on his bedside table.

03:47. It screamed at him in angry red lights.

_Who would want an alarm that bright?_

Kaiba groaned. He couldn’t have had more than two hours of sleep. It took him forever to try and settle down earlier. Pegasus squirming on the ground was still on his mind when he got into bed.

How he got to sleep, he didn’t know. And now he once again found himself awake while the moon was still high in the sky.

Kaiba was used to insomnia. After all, getting Kaiba Corporation to become the mighty empire it was today required many sleepless nights. Keeping it there at the top required even more. Tonight, however, all he wanted was to sink into a dreamless, heavy sleep. Sighing, he turned over. That was when the noise of the wounded animal drifted in through his window once again.

“Aaahhhh. Twenty-five. Oh god, please. Ple-oohhh.”

Kaiba could feel himself breaking out into a sweat again. _What the fuck?_

“Ah, aha. Yeees.”

Kaiba shot out of bed and ran to his window. He slammed it shut. His breathing was heavy and he could feel his body heating up. _No way. This can not be happening!_ That was no wounded animal outside.

That was clearly Pegasus having some more fun with Yami.

Kaiba closed his eyes as tight as he could, hoping to forget what he’d just heard. All that did was bringing back the memory from a few hours ago. Pegasus begging for it to stop, moaning just like he was now.

“Fuck!” Kaiba shouted, pounding his fist on the desk in his hotel room. He glared at the alarm clock next to the bed.

03:52

_What could they be doing at this time?_ Kaiba shook his head. _Not helpful!_

He climbed back into bed, bringing the sheets up around his head. If he buried himself under his sheets then maybe he’d fall asleep, and come morning, this would prove to be one very detailed nightmare.

Closing his eyes, Kaiba eventually fell into a restless sleep that was filled with that same amused smirk and those dark, mischievous eyes once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (author) Venom: At this point, I'm not even pretending this is a story anymore, it's just us with different names.
> 
> (author) Aj: I'm just here for the drama and the dicks. 
> 
> (artist) Jenicorn: Dreams really do come true...especially the wet ones. ✨
> 
> (editor) Ugli: Amazing! Wonderful!! Subarashi!!! FantASStique!! Watching Aj, Venom, and Jenicorn work together is a special experience, and I'm so honoured they included me as a fourth pair of eyes. 🍓💖
> 
> Artwork done by the wonderfully talented, Jenicorn.  
> Moodboard done by the equally as talented, Venom.


	2. Baby I tried so hard to be the man you want But every time you tear my walls down They just build back up again

“Pleaaase. I- I can’t take anymo-ore. Uggh.”

The hoarse voice begged for mercy in the darkness of the room.

Blindfolded, he was unable to see anything.

For all he knew, his pleas were only heard by the walls of the room and his own ears. Since he could no longer see, his other senses were now hyper aware of everything.

His nose could smell the sweat that was dripping down his face, and the musky scent of arousal, while his ears were straining for a sound that wasn’t his own laboured breathing. Cold was seeping into his skin from where he was kneeling on all fours on the rough surface of the stone floor. Every small movement he made sent shivers shooting down his spine from where his skin rubbed against the uneven surface of the ground. Those same shivers then caused him to move involuntarily and shift again.

It was like a never-ending cycle.

He had no idea how long he’d been kneeling here, waiting for...something.

Anything.

However his hands and knees ached from keeping himself up right. His whole body screamed at him that he was exhausted. At the same time, he knew he couldn’t move. If he moved, something bad would happen.

His body shook.

That thought excited him.

All he could do was move his head from side to side. With the blindfold on, however, he couldn’t see anything. That didn’t stop him from knowing there was someone else with him. He didn’t know _how_ he knew, but he did. It was almost like he could sense eyes watching him and his skin prickled under their watchful gaze.

Arousal shook his body once more.

Suddenly a deep rumbling laugh echoed around the room. He whipped his head around, the tips of his brunette hair tickling the back of his neck as he did so, trying to locate where it was coming from.

It was no use.

It seemed to come from everywhere.

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you? Being on display. Being a good little boy.” The voice crooned.

Each word seemed to drip with honey.

He wanted to hear it again.

A whine escaped his throat.

The voice sounded so seductive and comforting.

It was familiar.

It made him feel small and powerless, like he was nothing more than some measly thing that was barely worth the attention to the person who possessed it. The voice belonged to a King. No man was it’s equal, and no matter how much Kaiba may like to think otherwise, he knew deep down that he might never match the voice in status.

Despite this, he needed to please it.

He didn’t care that he was a peasant, he just wanted to be good for the voice. He wanted to make it happy - make it proud, and in return, he wanted to be owned. He wanted to be the King’s favourite play toy.

He craved it.

He whined again - he couldn’t do what was asked. He was desperate for some praise. He’d take anything that was offered to him. But if he couldn’t answer the question, how could he get the praise? He couldn’t take this anymore. Why was no one answering his pleas?

Suddenly, The voice did.

“You can do this. Now what was that last number?”

_What_?

What last number?

None of this made sense.

His heart thumped in his chest while his lungs tried to breathe. The air seemed to get stuck as a lump formed in his throat. He didn’t know the answer. There hasn’t been any numbers. Only him and his pleas. He could feel fear gripping his beating heart, almost crushing it.

_He’s going to let the voice down. But he doesn't want to!_

Think, that’s all he had to do. Tears started sliding down underneath the soft fabric of the blindfold, over the high arches of his sharp cheekbones. Kaiba shook his head. He couldn’t think. It was too warm. His hair was clinging to his face - it was all matted and sticking up in random places. All he could do was feel. It felt as if he was on fire, about to explode from all the sensations he was experiencing. The stones grazed his knees and he could feel exhaustion in his very bones. Fear had settled in his chest. It made his dick throb with need. A need his whole body seemed to ache for. An ache that radiates from his lower spine. But why would it ache there?

“Kaiba! You know what will happen if you don’t answer.”

No he didn’t.

He didn’t know anything.

He didn’t know what number he had to say and he didn’t know why he was kneeling on his hands and knees in a damp, cold room. Kaiba also didn’t know why he wanted to please this sweet, _sweet_ , commanding voice. But he knew that he did. He also knew, that he _really_ wanted to cum but that it wouldn’t happen if he didn’t get the answer right. Kaiba couldn’t think beyond the fears and doubts in his mind. Beyond the deep yearning sensation to have relief. 

“Pl-please.”

Wrong answer.

Kaiba let out a loud groan as the sensations grew in intensity and he collapsed onto his side. He drew his knees up towards his chest, arms wrapping around them as if this position could protect him and shield him from whatever was happening. It was no use. The fire that seemed to be consuming him was rising from deep within. He could do nothing but moan and try to squirm away from the attack on his nerves.

_Why wouldn’t it stop?_

“Please.” He begged again.

If it didn't stop soon he was going to explode. As he begged for mercy, he realised with a growing sense of horror that he was no longer on his hands and knees. He’d failed. He’d moved.

He would be punished now.

Kaiba let out a moan as excitement and arousal made his dick twitch and grow harder, if that was even possible. He could feel pre-cum leaking from his slit.

“Number.”

Did the voice not care that he was on his side? _Maybe he hasn’t disappointed him?_ If only he could remember this number! It was too much though. His skin tingled as if electrical currents had replaced his nerves. There is no number to remember!

“B-but...I...can’t.”

“You’ve disappointed me.”

No. He can’t have. Kaiba had let the King down. He’d wanted to be a good boy but here he was, lying on his side, tears streaming down his face and no number to give.

He had never wanted to cum so badly.

All of a sudden the blindfold was ripped away from his eyes and he found himself staring into deep violet eyes framed with black, kohl eyeliner. An evil smirk was pulling at a perfect pair of lips. Very kissable lips. However, it was the eyes he couldn’t stop staring at. The eyes glinted with a promise of pain. Kaiba hadn’t pleased him and now Kaiba would pay.

But how?

Pegasus’s bodiless voice echoed around the silence of the room.

“Vibratators are a lot of fun, Kaiba-boy.”

\----------

Shooting up in bed, Kaiba tried catching his breath. His chest was heaving, his lungs straining for as much air as possible. His sheets were a tangled mess around his calves, and they were soaked with sweat. Strands of hair stuck to the back of his neck and forehead, while other parts of his hair stuck up at weird angles. Kaiba’s normally pale face was flushed, bringing a rose tint to his cheeks. Jutting up from between his thighs, his cock throbbed with an incessant need to be touched. The head was an angry shade of red and it shined in the early morning light from where pre-cum was leaking out of his slit.

Lying his head back down in his damp pillows, Kaiba brought a trembling hand up to his face.

_This can not be happening,_ he thought.

The images of his dream came rushing back to him. It wasn’t just the images. It was the memory of how he felt. The pleasure that coursed through his veins. The overwhelming need to be touched, to be allowed to cum. However, it weren’t those feelings that caused his boner. No. It was the need to be owned. To be controlled. His dick twitched in agreement. He’d been so close to cumming before he’d woken up, but rather than pay his erection any mind, Kaiba got up.There was no way he would deal with this now. This was nothing more than a biological reaction to what he had witnessed last night. It was completely normal, of course, but Kaiba had to be better than that. He would not succumb to basic human needs. Anyway, the clock next to his bed informed him that the time was 07:17. Breakfast was served between 06:00 and 08:30. If he wanted anything other than the leftovers, he’d best get sorted quickly. He headed for the bathroom.

_A cold shower should get rid of these feelings_ _,_ he thought. _The last thing he wanted_ _to do is feed this weird notion_ _before it became something else._

_\------------------_

Walking towards the dining room, Kaiba caught a glance of himself in the grand mirror that was situated on the wall nearest him in the spacious lobby.

You wouldn’t think that half an hour ago he’d been drenched in sweat with a demanding erection waking him up from a rather _perverted_ dream. Instead, his hair was now clean with all matts combed out of it and his face no longer had any hints of a flush in it. Kaiba’s eyes were no longer blown wide with arousal but instead had the same alertness to them that he always had. He was wearing a slate grey suit, with a deep royal blue shirt underneath. The look was finished off with a tie, one shade darker than the suit.

Pleased with his reflection, he continued on to his destination.

The dining room was a magnificent feat of interior design. Apart from the ballroom, it was easily the most grand, exquisite part of the hotel. This room truly reflected the reason why the hotel was five stars and highly popular amongst the wealthy.

High ceilings were beautifully designed with many different shades of cream intermingling with each other in soft, delicate swirls. Beams painted a stark white gave the ceiling some character while crystal chandeliers were evenly spaced, hanging low. The crystals glinted in the light of day, some even casting faint prismatic shadows across the pale pewter coloured walls. Gold accessories decorated them while circular tables were interspersed across the oak, laminate floor. White table clothes covered the tables with small vases holding a single orange lily were placed in the centre of each one. On the far end of the dining room, huge divided windows were placed evenly across the length of the wall. They stretched from the floor to the ceiling allowing the sun’s morning light to reach the far corners of the dining room. Gold crushed-velvet curtains were pulled open with gold tassel tie backs. The design was simple but oh so elegant.

Inside the room, there was the pleasant buzz of chatter drifting up from the occupied tables. A breakfast buffet had been set on the wall towards Kaiba’s left. Many different choices were laid out for him to choose from. There were freshly baked croissants, muffins, and bagels closest to him. Further up he could see there was a stock pot that smelled as though it held miso soup. A smaller pan next to it contained steamed rice. Towards the far end of the buffet table were simpler items, such as porridge, muesli, and an assortment of fresh fruit and vegetables. It was the same selection that had been on for the past two mornings. The different scents drifted up to Kaiba’s nose. It smelled delightful. Kaiba headed towards the table and kept walking until he reached the end where the fruit was located. Just like the past two mornings, he picked up an apple and some grapes, poured himself a glass of orange juice and went to sit down at a table out of the way.

As he walked past, people nodded their heads in greeting to him. Kaiba returned the gesture out of politeness. He sat down with his back towards the rest of the dining room in the corner furthest from the entrance and the furthest from the windows.

_If that doesn’t tell people not to disturb him, then he doesn’t know what will._

Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he began to scroll through his emails while munching on his apple. He had just finished it and had started on the grapes when he was rudely interrupted.

“Ah. If it isn’t my dearest Kaiba. I hope you’re not trying to ignore us by sitting like this.”

Pegasus pretended to frown in mock sadness.

Kaiba looked up, slowly. His whole body had tensed up the moment Pegasus had started to speak. Standing opposite him Pegasus stood with his arms crossed casually in front of his chest and a sparkle of laughter in his eyes. His hair flowed softly across his shoulders. He waved a hand in the direction of the chair next to Kaiba.

“May I?” he inquired.

Not waiting for Kaiba to reply, he pulled it out and sat down, crossing one leg over the other. Pegasus pretended not to notice the tension and irritation Kaiba was projecting and started to pick at Kaiba’s grapes.

This caused Kaiba’s frustration to increase. Gritting his teeth, the younger CEO tried to sound as civil as possible as he addressed the older man.

“Can I help you with something?”

Pegasus glanced over at Kaiba.

“I don’t know. Can you?” he let out a tinkling laugh at his own joke.

Kaiba, on the other hand, found it incredibly unamusing and childish. He was just about to tell Pegasus as much when he became aware of another presence behind him.

“Yami. Excellent, you come bearing gifts. How wonderful. Ooohh. They even have some Pain Au Chocolat left. I expected them all to be gone! Please, sit. Kaiba-boy wouldn’t mind.”

Before Kaiba could start to protest, the chair opposite of him slid out from its place under the table and a slender, muscular figure sat down. Kaiba forced himself to meet Yami’s eyes. Big mistake. In the soft light of morning, Yami’s eyes sparkled with a gentleness that Kaiba couldn’t see last night. His smirk had also gone. This morning, his lips were lifted into a welcoming, pleasant smile. His face seemed to appear softer and less intimidating. It was still well defined but without the shadows covering his face, it didn’t seem as sharp and angular as it did the night before.

Kaiba couldn’t breath.

This man was beautiful.

He could do nothing but stare into his eyes, lost in the depths of them. Yami’s lips were moving but Kaiba seemed to be deaf to the world, lost in his own mind. It was Pegasus’s giggling and the faint look of amusement on Yami’s face that brought him back to reality.

“What?” he snapped, embarrassed to have been caught staring.

Yami chuckled.

“I said good morning to you. Twice.” Yami replied, his voice causing an unintentional shiver to run down Kaiba’s spine.

_Oh fuck!_ Kaiba cursed in his mind.

He had hoped that he would have been able to avoid these two at breakfast, especially Yami.

After the events of last night and the events of this morning, the last thing Kaiba had wanted, was to run into him. Yet, here he was, sitting opposite him. Talking to him as if they knew each other.

Not only that, but Yami’s voice seemed to be having an adverse reaction on Kaiba - he could feel his dick stirring in his trousers.

Once again the sound of Pegasus’s voice brought Kaiba back into the room, out of his own thoughts.

“I think you made quite an impression on sweet, innocent Kaiba. He’s like a deer caught in the headlights.” Pegasus let out a girly giggle, while Yami’s shoulders shook with what was clearly a silent chuckle.

Irritated and humiliated, Kaiba stood up abruptly. He couldn’t stay here any longer. Pegasus stopped laughing but a playful smile was visible on his face.

“Where are you off to?” he inquired.

“I have some more packing to do before I check out. Enjoy your breakfast.” Kaiba lied before storming out of the room, Pegasus’s tittering ringing behind him.

\------------------

The gentle humming of his cars engine was soothing to Kaiba.

He loved to drive - it relaxed him and helped to focus his mind. When he was driving, it was just him. That was why he had insisted on not being chauffeured to the conference. 

He’d known he would have been bombarded with many different people for the whole three days, all trying to make some connection with him. If Kaiba had been driven to the event, he wouldn’t have had time to mentally prepare himself for what had proven to be one very long weekend. After how the conference had finished, Kaiba was incredibly pleased that he’d gotten his way.

Driving home provided the perfect opportunity to get his head on straight and to forget all about what had transpired.

_Namely, some ridiculous schoolgirl crush he seems to have developed on a certain stranger._ Kaiba gripped the steering wheel tight, feeling the tension rise within him once again as he remembered how he’d felt at breakfast.

Lost.

Frustrated.

Humiliated.

This wasn’t him.

Kaiba didn’t waste time on people who couldn’t offer him anything beneficial. Yet, in the past twelve hours, Yami was the only thing he could think about.

Kaiba slowed his car to a stop as the traffic lights at the junction leading into the city turned red. He loosened the grip he had on the wheel and released a sigh of frustration.

Kaiba had been driving for two hours now. He’d hoped, that by the time he’d got back to Domino city, all thoughts of Yami would have disappeared.

Yami was now in the past. There was no reason to think about him.

_After all, it wasn’t like they were ever going to cross paths again._

It was stupid and silly of Kaiba to waste another second even thinking his name.

Or about his eyes.

His wonderful, deep violet clear eyes.

Not to mention his mouth.

God, Kaiba had really wanted to kiss his mouth.

“Shit!” Kaiba cursed.

_What the fuck is he doing?_

The lights turned green and he pressed the accelerator a bit too hard as he shot off from the junction. He was now in Domino city, ten minutes from home, and Kaiba once again found himself fighting off the beginnings of a boner thanks to the memory of Yami.

_So much for the drive relaxing him,_ he thought bitterly.

If driving home hadn’t helped, then going back to his mansion and relaxing would be the worst thing to do. Kaiba spotted the turn off that would lead him home. However, he instead continued forward.

_Work should distract him_ , he concluded.

It will give him the chance to prepare for the next promotional event and to see where his manufacturing team was at with the first batch of his new duel disc.

\-----------------

Kaiba parked the car in his reserved parking spot, located at the back of the building. There were a small crowd of paparazzi at the main entrance, so Kaiba entered through the back door. He couldn’t be arsed dealing with them right now.

Kaiba quickly strode across the vast lobby before stepping into his own personal lift. He’d noticed his employees bowing to him as he’d walked past, however, Kaiba was too lost in his own frustrations to pay them any mind. The elevator stopped and he walked out. His secretary looked up from where she was working on her computer. She seemed stunned to see him.

“Mr Kaiba! I didn’t expect to see you until tomorrow. I hope the conference went well.” she implored, standing and bowing.

Kaiba didn’t look at her. Instead, he walked straight towards his office, past her desk.

“Leave.” he ordered before slamming the door shut.

He strode over to his desk and sat down in the luxurious leather chair that was nestled behind it. Kaiba watched, as his secretary gathered her things and organised her desk. He saw her give a quick glance back, concern etched across her face, before she left.

Kaiba exhaled.

He was finally alone.

His office was the one place where he could truly escape from the world if he needed to.

Kaiba swivelled his chair around so he could look out of the tall clear windows that were set into the back wall of his office, overlooking the entirety of Domino City.

Up here, he was reminded of his position - he was the King. No one else had this view. No one else could sit and watch as the city went about it’s daily business like he could. More importantly, no one - _no one_ \- was above him.

Reassured of that fact, Kaiba turned back to his desk. There were some folders piled neatly on the edge of it, asking for attention. Sighing, Kaiba allowed his work to consume him like it always did. For once he was extremely grateful for it.

\--------------

Kaiba slowly made his way down the pile of folders until only two remained.

A few hours had passed and the sun was slowly setting. Faint streaks of orange and pink were visible on the edge of the sky. Soon enough the city would be lit up as the street lights came on, and the tiny specks of car headlights would be seen zooming across the roads as their owners headed home for the day.

“Hopefully I’ll be joining them.” Kaiba muttered under his breath, as he turned his attention back towards the remaining folders.

He was exhausted and a headache was starting to make an appearance. Massaging the side of his temple with one hand, he grabbed the next folder. How many different files had he worked through since entering the office? He’d lost count.

A lot.

_“What’s the number?”_

Kaiba seemed to choke on his own breath as his brain seemed to betray him.

It had started recalling last nights dream for him.

The way he’d tried to remember a non-existent number, a number that Yami had wanted him to say.

For that was who the voice had been.

Yami had been The King.

It had been Yami, making him beg for mercy and Yami had been the one to make him squirm on the ground as delicious sensations had assaulted him.

“Fuck off!” Kaiba mumbled angrily to himself.

He’d been doing so well.

Almost six hours had passed with not even the faintest thought of the man and now that Kaiba figured he could go home and relax in peace, here he was again - his mind running away from him with thoughts of Yami kissing him until he couldn’t breath.

Yami pinning him against a wall so he couldn’t move.

Yami pushing him to his knees as he pulled the zipper of his trousers down.

Kaiba’s cock throbbed.

“Ugh.” he groaned, bringing his head down onto his desk.

_Why the fuck does this keep happening?_

The last time he’d had this many erections in a 24 hour period, he’d been about 14. He was now 22 and had incredible amounts of self-discipline. _This should not be occuring!_

His dick seemed to disagree as it strained against the confines of his trousers. Kaiba thought about ignoring it again but then he realised it would just keep happening. He sighed. There was no other way around it - he was going to have to take care of it.

_Maybe it’s just pent up sexual frustration and Yami is the object it’s decided to fixate on? If he allows himself this moment, he might stop obsessing over the man._

If Kaiba were truly honest with himself, he couldn’t actually remember the last time he jerked off. It wasn’t something he tended to do. Of course, he did it every now and then, purely because he understood the necessity of the action. He never enjoyed it though.

He hated being out of control of anything.

Kaiba always had to be alert and the moments after he orgasmed were the worst, in his opinion. His mind went foggy, his eyes start to blur and as his muscles relaxed, he just feels lethargic. The young CEO really didn’t understand why people enjoyed that so much.This time would be no different from the last.

Kaiba got up off his chair and picked his laptop up. He wandered over to the couch on the other side of the room and sat himself down, opening the laptop. The brunette started searching for his favourite porn to masturbate to. He refuses to accept the fact that he was hard because of Yami.

Watching porn would reinforce that belief.

He clicked on a video that caught his eye. There was nothing special about it. In fact, it was as vanilla as it came. Just straight up boring sex between a guy and a girl.

Perfect.

Kaiba clicked play, making sure his volume was turned on and settled back.

High pitched moans started to rise from the speakers as the scene on screen showed a middle aged man fucking his blonde twenty-something co-star from behind. They were reciting the cheesiest script Kaiba had ever heard, but that wasn’t why he was here. Instead he started to focus on the way the guy grabbed her breasts, rolling her perky pink nipples between his fingers. He focused on the way her mouth hung open with her lipstick smudged across her face. Little pants and noises of encouragement spurring the guy on.

As he watched, his erection started to wane.

_What the fuck? This never happened._

Kaiba groaned in frustration.

This always worked. Usually he was so desperate to get off, that it didn’t take much time to cum. Now, his dick had decided that it wasn’t enough. He rubbed a hand across his face, frustrated and clicked off the video.

Kaiba started to scroll through the most popular videos on the site. He figured he would let his penis decide the video for him, rather than his mind. That way, he knew he could jack off and then leave. Kaiba scrolled through video after video and nothing seemed to cause a stir of interest in his trousers.

As he clicked onto a new page, the first link caused his cock to twitch. He read the title.

_“_ _Robert Star disciplines his bad boy_ _”_

The thumbnail showed a young man kneeling with his arms tied behind his back with rope. Another man, not much older than the one tied up, was holding an object in his left hand. The handle was wrapped in leather and above it there were many different strands of what looked like braided nylon.

Intrigued, Kaiba clicked on the video.

The opening scene started playing.

It seemed to be set in some sort of dungeon room. There were chains on the wall, and the lighting was deliberately bad to reflect the atmosphere of what was happening.

However, Kaiba wasn’t focusing on the environment.

No, he was fixated on the lone figure that was kneeling in the middle of the floor. Black rope held his arms straight out behind him, contrasting beautifully with the pale skin of the actor. His head was lowered so he was staring at the dirty floor of the room. His knees were spread, so that they were shoulder width apart, allowing him to distribute his weight evenly.

Kaiba’s mouth went dry and his body flushed with arousal.

His erection once again strained against his zipper.

The video hadn’t even shown anything other than this one man kneeling.

As Kaiba watched, another man, _Rober Star according to the title_ , his brain supplied proudly, entered the room. He started circling the one that was tied up, _his bad boy_. A minute passed and Kaiba could feel the suspense building.

No one had spoken.

This guy just kept circling the other one.

In fact the older one was still fully dressed, while the one tied up was completely nude. Kaiba couldn’t help but feel turned on at the wonderful contrast, at the clear symbolism that Robert owned the other one, yet the one tied up trusted him completely.

Kaiba yearned for that.

His cock pulsed with a need to be released from where it was trapped in his trousers. Reaching a hand down, Kaiba unbuckled his belt and unfastened his trousers, pulling the waistband of his boxers down enough to pull his erection out. It twitched as the cool air hit the heated flesh of his shaft. He turned his attention back to the video.

The dominus had stopped circling his submissive and had picked up the object from the thumbnail. He started to brush it against the skin that remained visible where the rope was tied in a criss-cross. Kaiba watched as the sub seemed to shiver at the feeling.

A drop of pre-cum dribbled out from his slit as he imagined what the flogger must feel like.

The dom had started to speak. It was a rough commanding tone and it made Kaiba shiver once more as he was reminded of the way Yami had spoken to Pegasus, warning him to be careful. No one would dare speak to Kaiba that way, but in this moment he would drop to his knees and give himself to someone who would.

“You broke the rules, didn’t you little puppy? You know what that means. How many lashes do you think we should give you? 10? 15? More?”

The whole time he was talking, the actor circled the younger one, brushing the tassels against his skin. Kaiba could see goosebumps rising on the skin where the flogger had been moments before. The sub remained silent.

“Answer me. How many?”

“As many as you feel are necessary, sir.” The sub replied.

The dominus seemed pleased with this answer as the corner of his lip twitched up.

“Good answer.” he replied before bringing the flogger down across his shoulders.

The younger man let out a yelp at the unexpected blow, while Kaiba’s dick throbbed.

“Count them.” the dom ordered.

_“Urgh. Twen...ty fo-ur!!”_

_That’s what Pegasus was moaning about last night. Yami must have been disciplining him for something. Kaiba’s stomach churned for a reason unrelated to his current state of arousal. It was the same feeling he got whenever someone else spoke about Blue Eyes White Dragon. Or when Mokuba dared to touch his Blue Eyes card. It was possessiveness. Yami was only allowed to discipline him._

“One.” the submissive responded in the video.

Kaiba groaned as the scene continued.

_Two... Three... Five... Ten._

His brain was listing off the blows as they happened. With each one Kaiba let out a little whimper and a moan. He couldn’t tear his eyes away. Arousal pulsed under his skin and his erection seemed to twitch every time the tails hit their target. The tip of his cock was leaking pre-cum now and the video had only been going on for a couple of minutes. Kaiba brought his hand up to massage his tip and he shivered as he brought it down across his shaft, spreading his fluids around so his hand didn’t feel so rough. He set a steady pace as he started to rub his dick, making sure to flick his thumb across the tip and dip into the slit each time he brought his hand up. Kaiba continued to watch the screen, mesmerised by the red marks the flogger had caused on the back of the submissive. He closed his eyes, listening to the sounds that were made on the screen.

He started to imagine himself tied up like the man on the screen was, as a flogger was brought down across his back. He could feel the sting as it made contact with the skin before it eased into a dull, delicious ache.

Kaiba’s hand moved faster across his dick while he brought his other hand down to start massaging his balls. Pre-cum was leaking out of his urethra in a steady stream now and his shaft was impossibly hard. Kaiba’s breaths were coming out in short, quick pants between moans of pleasure.

_It felt so good_.

His head was thrown back and his eyes were shut tight. He could still see himself getting flogged in his mind. His fantasy self couldn’t predict when the next blow would happen and he was starting to lose count. Another one rained down on his shoulder. Was that 13? 14? He could no longer remember. Feet appeared in front of him and an authoritative voice spoke from above his head.

“Kaiba. Number. Now.”

Kaiba groaned. He was so close.

In his mind, he was trembling all over. The welts from the flogger had a delicious ache to them and the rope binding his arms behind his back hugged him in a way that comforted and grounded him.

“Number, now. Or we’ll have to start again.”

Kaiba shook his head.

He couldn’t think.

His mind was hazy.

He could only concentrate on the physical feelings he was experiencing. A slender hand gripped his chin and forced his head to look up. He kept his eyes looking down. He could be a good boy.

“Look at me.”

Slowly Kaiba raised his eyes up to meet his dom’s. Clear, violet eyes gleamed in the dim lighting of the room.

Kaiba tensed as he came all over his hand and it seemed as if it would never end. He made sure to squeeze the last of his cum out before he slumped into the cushions of the couch, spent. He felt as if he was floating on a cloud. His head was heavy on his shoulders and he couldn’t even lift his hand.

Kaiba was finally relaxed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are a group mentored by[prettiugli](https://archiveofourown.org/users/prettiugli)  
> If you want to keep up-to-date with new chapters and artwork then hit subscribe, as well as heading over to our combined Tumblr: Ajenomi
> 
> Moodboard once again created by the wonderful, Venom.  
> Artwork provided by our amazing artist, Jenicorn.
> 
> <3


	3. Told you once, You'll never see me cry, I'm not that kind of guy.

Kaiba yawned as he blinked his eyes open. He was slouched over on the white leather couch in his office and his laptop had fallen to the floor.

As his brain started to wake up, he looked down at himself. Kaiba’s flaccid penis was still hanging out over the waistband of his boxers, resting against his stomach where his shirt had ridden up. Bits of cum had dried on the tip as well as all over his hands. Some had even gotten onto his shirt.

Kaiba groaned as he started to move.

His neck ached from where it had been lying slumped over on his shoulder. His muscles protested as he moved. Exhaustion seemed to cover him like a heavy woolen blanket.

 _What time was it?,_ he wondered.

A quick glance outside told him, that it was at least 6:30pm; the sky was black and the only lights were those of the city’s nightlife.

“Shit.” he muttered under his breath.

Dragging himself to his feet, he walked over to the bathroom that was connected to his office. Kaiba desperately needed a shower.

\-------------

Leaning his head against the cool tiles of the shower wall, the warm pressure of the water rained down against his shoulders. It was soothing and it felt as though it was massaging his back.

He let out a shaky breath.

Kaiba didn’t think he’d ever felt this calm in his life. If it wasn’t for the wall he was leaning on, the young CEO would have been laying on the floor of the shower instead.

He watched as the water ran down his legs and circled the drain. The rhythmic pitter patter of the droplets hitting the surfaces of the shower cubicle were almost as soothing as the sensation of them falling onto his skin. The steam rising up to surround him made him feel safe and protected.

As he stood there, Kaiba was slowly regaining his strength and awareness. The gears in his brain were starting to turn again. As they did, fear started clawing its way up to settle in his chest. It felt as though he was being crushed under the pressure of it; he was struggling to breathe and his heart was thumping wildly as if it was a race horse let loose from its paddock.

 _Oh god. Had he just masturbated to the thought of_ **_submitting_ ** _to_ **_Yami_ ** _?_

Despite the fact that hot water was running down on him, Kaiba felt as though he had been dunked under the surface of a frozen lake.

_What was he thinking?_

He’d wanted to get off - that’s what he’d been thinking!

It had worked.

Kaiba had never, ever experienced anything that came close to the level of excitement he’d felt in that moment.

To the level of euphoria.

To the level of peace.

He couldn’t deny that for once, he’d actually enjoyed himself. It was the fantasy of being under someone else’s control that had really got him going. That was what had made him cum so hard and that was what had given him the peaceful aftermath.

Not that he’d ever imagined he would enjoy being controlled. Growing up the way he did, well, there was a reason he didn’t trust anyone. It was the reason why he didn’t like being underneath another person's authority. Kaiba shook at the thoughts of his childhood.

_No, he couldn’t dwell on those._

Shaking his head, the brunet instead remembered, how he had felt when watching the porno. The way he’d yearned to trust someone like the person had seemed to trust the dom. Of course, Kaiba knew, they were paid actors but even so, people were doing that kind of thing. Some people put their trust in the hands of someone else to show them what they might need. Not that Kaiba could ever do that. There is no one he could ever trust with his wellbeing. Only himself.

_Or was there?_

Yami’s face flickered across his mind.

For some reason Kaiba seemed to be drawn to the man despite only meeting him last night. Yet, the CEO recalled the way he had reacted after realizing what Pegasus and Yami had been up to in the early hours of the morning.

He’d been jealous.

He’d felt possessive.

_Fuck_.

Kaiba needed him.

His heart seemed to stop as he came to realise this. His body felt clammy and it was trembling. Why he was shaking - he didn’t know. What he did know, was, that he’d spent years making sure he would need no one in his life to help him with anything, unless it was strictly business. Now his world seemed to have done a 180° flip.

Kaiba hated himself for it, but he understood, that if he didn’t go to visit Yami at least once, then this, whatever _this_ was, would only get worse.

After all, he didn’t have to do anything. He just wanted to speak to the man, that’s all. In fact, Kaiba bet that the moment he started to have a conversation with him, all fantasies involving Yami would disintegrate. No one could hold Kaiba’s interest for long and this would be the same.

Resigning himself to his fate, Kaiba reached for the shampoo bottle and started to wash his hair.

\-------------------

Ten minutes later, Kaiba exited the bathroom. He was wearing a spare set of clothes he kept in his office in case he needed to change, whether that would be for a meeting, or he didn’t have time to go home and change before a press conference. Not once did he think he would ever need them because he got cum on the ones he was wearing.

Rubbing his hair dry with a towel in one hand, he bent down and picked his laptop up with the other. He walked over to his desk and sat down behind it. Kaiba placed the towel around the back of his neck, letting it hang over his shoulders before he switched his laptop back on.

He opened up Google and typed in ‘Yami’.

The first page of results loaded and Kaiba scrolled through them.

Not one of them was what he was looking for.

Irritated Kaiba set up a filter, that should get him the information he needed. He watched as the search loaded.

_0 results matched your search._

_What. The. Actual. Fuck._

There was nothing. Not even a trace of information that could help him find Yami.

_All he wanted to do was speak to the fucking guy._

“Useless piece of shit!” Kaiba shouted, slamming the lid of the laptop shut.

He brought his hands up into his hair, running his fingers through it. The action was a nervous habit he had developed as a child and even now, it stuck with him. It calmed him and helped him to focus when he was stressed.

_Now what?_

If his own filter software couldn’t help him, then how was he meant to find Yami? It’s not like he knew anything about the guy, except that he was a dominus. He didn’t know anything that he liked, what groups he would be in, or people he would surround himself with. There was no lead.

_Oh come now, Kaiba-boy. You’re better than this._

Kaiba went pale as it dawned on him that _yes, there was one lead he could use._

Pegasus.

However, if he did that, Pegasus would know what Kaiba wanted and he would never hear the end of it. Pegasus would use it as a leash, leading Kaiba to wherever he pleased, knowing that Kaiba’s pride would be bruised if anyone were to find out.

No. There would be another way.

But this was the only way available right now.

Gritting his teeth, Kaiba reached for his phone. As he unlocked it, he took note of the time.

21:32.

It was even later than he thought.

He scrolled through his contacts until he found Pegasus’s name. His finger paused over the dial button, unsure if this was the right way forward. Maybe all of this was just one big overreaction to a situation that would be resolved, come morning? Pegasus wouldn’t have to know a thing. Kaiba wasn’t even sure if he wanted to find Yami that bad.

That was a lie.

He really did.

Before he could chicken out, Kaiba pressed the dial button and waited for Pegasus to pick up. It rang twice, before his cheery voice drifted through the speaker.

“Well, isn’t this a pleasant surprise. It’s awfully late for a personal call now, isn’t it?”

Kaiba’s grip on his phone tightened, as he resisted the urge to throw it against the wall. Pegasus really did irritate him when he spoke.

“So, what can I do for you this fine evening? Or did you just miss me?”

The brunet had to bite his tongue so he wouldn’t reply with a scathing remark. He was here for a reason and he didn’t want to give Pegasus any ammunition to use against him.

He needed what the older CEO could give him. Composing himself, Kaiba replied.

“I’m looking for information that I know you possess.”

“That sounds intriguing. And what could this information be that requires a personal phone call outside of business hours, hmm?”

Kaiba could hear the amusement lacing his every word.

“I require a contact and you’re the only person I know who can give it to me.” Kaiba responded, trying to void his voice of any emotion.

There was a pause.

“A contact you say?”

“Yes.”

“And what type of contact would the powerful Seto Kaiba not be able to find on his own, I wonder?” Pegasus had clearly figured out what Kaiba wanted and seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself.

It made Kaiba feel sick.

“You know what it is, now give it to me!” Kaiba snarled.

“Kaiba, Kaiba, Kaiba.” Pegasus tutted down the receiver. “That type of tone will just not do with my... _contact._ ”

Pegasus chuckled to himself.

Kaiba had had enough.

“You know what, forget it.”

“But Kaiba, don’t you _need_ it?”

“I don’t _need_ anything!”, he spat.

“Ooohhh. Believe me, you have needs. And he is _very_ good at figuring out _exactly_ what they are.”

Kaiba’s stomach flipped at what those words seemed to imply. However, he’d had enough of Pegasus’ games.

“Goodbye.”

“Wait!” Pegasus’s voice screamed down the phone just as Kaiba was about to hang up.

He paused, his finger hovering above the ‘End call’ button.

“You’ll find your contact at Kame Game shop. Ask for The Pharaoh’s Treasure.”

_The Pharaoh’s treasure? Wasn't that a game for idiots who couldn’t do anything else?_

“Why would I ask for a stupid game? I didn’t call you to be insulted, Pegasus.”

“Just do it. You’ll thank me later, Kaiba-boy. That is, when you’re done thanking someone else.” And with a last laugh, Pegasus hung up.

Kaiba sat stunned for a moment.

_Thanking someone else?_

_What?_

_Who else would he be thanking and why would Pegasus laugh at it?_

Kaiba shook his head. His headache was coming back.

_Maybe this was a bad idea._

He seemed to get an answer to one question and then two more sprouted up. It was like the head of a hydra.

On the other hand, he now possessed the information he required. Information which came at great personal embarrassment for Kaiba. He might not understand exactly, what Pegasus had meant, but it was the only lead available to him.

Opening his laptop back up, he typed Kame Game shop into the search bar and clicked enter.

\-------------

The door opened once again as yet another person entered. So far Kaiba had observed three people enter and not one of them have left.

The first had entered fifteen minutes ago.

Kaiba had driven straight from his office to the address he’d found on the internet. As his car was rather conspicuous, he’d parked a few streets away. The less people who noticed him the better.

That was why he now found himself lurking in the shadows of an overhanging oak tree on the street corner opposite to Kame Game shop. This was something he’d been doing for the past half an hour.

The shop stood out from the rest of the buildings surrounding it. It was on the corner of a street and seemed rather peculiar in it’s design. It’s entrance was round with a large, red paned door set back into the wall. Faint light was floating through the glass panels in the door. Above it, the word ‘Game’ hung in large, luminous orange letters. Past the entrance, the shop seemed to open up into more of a classic square shape. The second floor was more interesting. It had a high roof that jutted out at sharp angles. Although, the roof above the entrance was rounded, just like the walls. Speaking of them, from what Kaiba could see in the faint light cast by the street lamps, they seemed to be a mustard-yellow colour. However he couldn’t be sure due to the lack of light. If they were, then Kaiba was very pleased no one was around to see him go near the shop - yellow was a very tacky colour to paint a building.

The door opened, as he continued to stare. Someone exited the building, head bent low. A faint glow emitted from an object in the shadow’s hand. The person was looking at his phone.

 _Boring_.

On the other hand, Kaiba noticed that the figure had exited without having bought anything. There were no bags in the patrons hands.

 _Probably nothing worth getting._ Kaiba scoffed in his head.

Then why was he here?

_Because Pegasus liked his little pranks, that’s why!_

There was no way in hell this was where Kaiba would find Yami. He doubted he would find anything interesting in the shop, full stop. It looked like a dump for retro, outdated games that only sentimental old fools cared about. The only thing interesting about it was its peculiar lay out, end of.

Kaiba sighed.

He’d really hoped he’d find Yami. Instead, he’d just wasted 30 minutes of his time staring at a shop’s entrance. What Kaiba really needed now was to go home and sleep - he was exhausted. As he turned to leave, he saw another person enter the store.

Four.

That was the fourth person to enter in over 30 minutes.

Only one had left.

Kaiba couldn’t help feeling a tiny bit intrigued.

_What person spent 30 minutes perusing the shelves of a small game shop at this late hour?_

Curiosity getting the better of him, Kaiba stepped out from the shadows and crossed the road, pulling open the door.

A bell chimed above his head, as he entered the shop. The walls were stacked high with many different types of games. There were classic board games such as monopoly, as well as newer, more modern games, like face splat. Packs of playing cards were on a stand next to a box of jenga. Video games were situated on the wall opposite. Some were old retro games, while others were for the more recent consoles. Kaiba didn’t care for any of this. Just like he thought.

However, at the bottom of the shop, directly opposite the entrance, there was a glass counter with a till settled on it. In that glass cabinet lay row after row of Duel Monsters cards. Some were individual cards held in protective card sleeves and others were unopened packets. Kaiba headed closer. He’d been looking at getting some more for Mokuba.

Kaiba was checking out a rare 1st edition Luster Dragon #2 when he heard footsteps entering the room from a door just to the side of the check out counter. He straightened up and looked to his left.

A blonde women of a similar age, maybe a few years older, was staring at him. A flicker of shock passed across her large, pale purple eyes as she noticed Kaiba standing at the front counter. She quickly composed herself and walked over to him.

“Hi, can I help you with anything, Mr. Kaiba?” she asked in a cautious voice.

Kaiba felt like he was frozen on the spot. He’d been caught in this dump all because of some silver haired bastard and his own curiosity.

The woman stared, her eyes knitting together in a frown.

“Mr. Kaiba?” she repeated.

Kaiba thought about turning around and storming out of the door but his body wouldn’t cooperate. Instead he uttered the first thing that entered his mind.

“Pharaoh’s Treasure.”

The woman’s eyes widened in surprise.

“I beg your pardon?” she asked in a clipped tone of voice.

Kaiba cleared his throat and started again.

“I’m looking for The Pharaoh’s Treasure. I was told I could find it here.” he said, crossing his arms defensively, starring the women down. He didn’t know why Pegasus sent him here and what he got out of this, but Kaiba was here now so he might as well see where it leads.

The woman on the other hand seemed to smirk and her eyes seemed to go darker.

“Oh. I see. Well, I’m deeply sorry to upset you however, that particular game is unavailable without a pre-order. You can pre-book it for Thursday if you’d prefer?”

Kaiba’s forehead creased together as he frowned.

_She seems to know something that he doesn’t. Maybe this trip had something to with Yami after all. The question was, what?_

“I’m sorry?” he inquired, requesting that she repeated herself.

She stared right at him.

“The Pharaoh’s treasure is unavailable tonight. Try again Thursday and-”

The rest of her sentence remained unsaid as the bell above the shop’s entrance rang. Turning on the spot, Kaiba moved to stare at the person who had just entered.

Yami.

He stood by the front door, hips jutting out to the side and arms folded. His hair was spiking up at the back and blond strands fell to the side of his face.

 _That seemed to be his usual hairstyle. How much product does it take to keep it that way all day, every day?_ Kaiba wondered.

They stared at each other.

The atmosphere was growing tense the more they continued. It was Yami who broke the silence of the shop floor.

“Mai, can you please inform Yugi that I will be home later than expected.” The whole time Yami spoke to the woman - Mai - he never broke eye contact with Kaiba.

It was beginning to make the taller man uncomfortable, but he refused to be the first one to break. He stood his ground. Although, it was very hard not to shift. The moment he’d spotted Yami, his dick had started twitching. Now that he’d spoken, Kaiba felt his dick rise to semi- hardness.

_This might be more difficult than he’d first imagined._

Mai spoke up.

“Sure, I’ll let him know.”

“Thank you.”, was Yami’s reply.

He swiftly took one step towards Kaiba. And another.

He walked straight towards him, and then veered off towards a door located just behind the front counter. Yami opened it and looked back towards Kaiba who stood frozen to the floor, unable to move under the steady gaze of the shorter man.

“Follow me.” he commanded before walking through the door, not waiting to see if Kaiba would follow. It was almost as if he knew Kaiba would.

If he understood even the tiniest bit about Kaiba, it would be the fact that he never listened to orders. So there was no way he was going to follow a stranger through a mysterious door.

Kaiba lifted one foot up and placed it in front of the other.

Then, he stumbled through the door after Yami.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun duuuuun.
> 
> It's all getting a bit exciting now! What's Yami going to show Kaiba? More importantly, how's Kaiba's conversation going to go?
> 
> If you don't want to miss out on the next chapter you can hit subscribe, or follow us on Tumblr: Ajenomi
> 
> Come say hi!
> 
> Moodboard by Venom-For-Free  
> Artwork by Jenicorn
> 
> Special thanks goes out to PrettiUgli for their endless support and editing. We love you!
> 
> Next chapter will be up on 21/12.


	4. But I know you're done with excuses, yeah. Once, I saw you say goodbye I thought twice about that lie

Kaiba’s eyes took a moment to adjust to the sudden change of lighting as the door to the shop floor swung shut behind him.

He seemed to have followed Yami through a thin hallway that was dimly lit by two wall lights, which were shaped to resemble candles. Straight ahead of him was a staircase and beside that stood a stone statue of a Pharaoh Hound sat upright. Kaiba stared at it for a few moments, unnerved at the atmosphere of the hallway. The decor and furnishings were a complete contrast to the bright, modern look of the game shop. Suddenly, a voice drifted down from the top of the stairs.

“Kaiba. Move it.” Yami commanded.

Kaiba did.

\-----------

Yami was patiently waiting for Kaiba next to a door to the left of the stairs. As Kaiba reached the last step, he needed a moment to take in his surroundings. They seemed to be standing in some sort of waiting area that had three rooms leading off from it. Yami was standing beside one of them while the other two were to Kaiba’s right.

Just like the hallway, this room was sparsely lit. Its decor was dark and its walls were a mix of grey stone and dark grey paint. The stone floor was the same colour as the paint on the wall. It made it seem as though they were connected and made the room seem like one big black box.

Scattered across the walls, there were a multitude of over-hanging lights encased in a black shade.There was very little light coming from them, adding to the unearthly atmosphere Yami seemed to have going. The monochrome decor mixed with the stone ground sent shivers up Kaiba’s spine. Goosebumps appeared on his arms despite the fact that he was wearing three different layers.

_What was this place?_

Kaiba wasn’t sure, if he wanted to continue onwards. Apprehension clouded his mind. On the other hand, he was curious and decided it couldn’t be that bad.

_Just because it’s not how he’d decorated a place, didn’t mean there was anything sinister about it._

He continued to look around.

Behind Kaiba, there was a filing cabinet nestled into the corner next to the stairs and the wall. In the other corner stood a coat rack that was currently holding a navy blue canvas jacket.

As Kaiba moved further into the room, he turned left and noticed that there was another staircase leading down. A window was set into the wall behind the stairs. It wasn’t large, so Kaiba imagined it wouldn’t let much light in, even through the day.

_Odd. What’s the point of a window if you don’t want to let light in? They’re really going for the spook factor here._

Kaiba had to admit that part of him was beginning to feel a bit anxious as to what he’s found himself in the middle of.

In front of the window, there was another statue. This one was in the shape of an Egyptian Sphinx cat.

_Does this guy have an Egyptian kink or something!?_

On either side of it, there were two rather large spider plants each one sat in an ash coloured terracotta plant pot.

As Kaiba looked to his right, he noticed, the door to the room he stood next to was open. He peeked his head in to have a look, fully aware that Yami was watching his every move.

(Kaiba refused to admit he quite liked being the focus of Yami’s attention.)

The room seemed to be some sort of lounge. Two inky black leather sofas were situated in the far left corner, directly opposite the door. One was lying flush against the back wall, the one next to it was standing at the adjacent wall. A boston fern was growing between them in yet another terracotta plant pot.

 _The sofas look really comfortable._ Kaiba observed. _And would be easy to wipe down after sex.,_ his subconscious also observed.

A flush appeared on his face and he prayed it wasn’t visible in the lighting of the room.

_Where did that thought come from?_

Kaiba shook his head and cleared his throat, shifting slightly as he felt something churning in the pit of his stomach, still completely aware of the fact Yami was watching him.

Turning away from the sofas, Kaiba took in the rest of his surroundings.

There was a large black marble coffee table. Set on top of it were a couple of files piled neatly on its surface. The only other object on the coffee table was a vase with fresh, red lilies, their color standing out in stark contrast against the monotonous furnishing of the room. To the right of the coffee table was a deep-pile jet black circular rug.

 _I bet that’s soft._ The brunet mused. He could almost feel his feet sinking deep into the fabric, as if standing on a cloud. The thin threads of the rug tickling the space between his toes.

_Would he be allowed to try it out?_

_Wait. What’s he doing?_

_He needs to get a grip!_

He shook his head and continued looking.

On the wall to his right, there was a long oak sideboard. Sitting on top of it were some tissues encased in a pitch black plastic box, a lone lily in a thin terracotta vase, and some hand sanitiser.

Kaiba went to leave the room. Out of his peripheral vision he spotted something on the wall he’d had his back to.

And stared at it.

Eyes wide and all colour gone from his face, Kaiba took a minute to register what he was looking at.

A cage.

It was shaped like an ‘L’ with black steel bars. The highest part of it was about 6 feet tall, just shorter than Kaiba, while the widest part was about 4 feet. The depth seemed even smaller - about 2-3ft. It looked as though it was made for someone to have minimal capacity to move, only being able to stand up or kneel down.

Kaiba’s mind went blank.

_What the…_

_Why was there a cage in a lounge!?_

\--------------

Meanwhile, Yami was closely observing Kaiba. He could tell when the taller man had seen the cage as his body had tensed and he’d continued staring at the same spot, as still as the statues Yami had chosen to decorate his studio with.

 _Excellent._ Yami thought, pleased with the reaction he’d seen. He couldn’t wait to show him the rest of the place.

Yami allowed Kaiba a couple of more seconds to process what he’d seen before he addressed him again.

“Kaiba.”

Yami laughed quietly to himself as he saw the young CEO jump at the sound of his name. He waited until Kaiba turned to look at him before walking over to the second staircase that led downstairs. Yami started the descent, knowing full well Kaiba would follow.

 _This part was going to be fun_.

\-----------

Kaiba was unable to think.

Seeing the cage had caused so many different reactions inside of him that he was unable to process them all.

There was confusion, fear, nerves. All valid responses to seeing a steel cage when he didn’t expect to.

Then, there was the abnormal responses.

Excitement.

Desire.

Arousal.

Kaiba couldn’t deny the fact that he was turned on by the cage.

At the thought of being locked up in it, unable to stand up properly - hunched over, while his head still grazed the top bars of his prison.

At the thought of only being able to move to kneel down.

Waiting to be released.

His whole body shivered.

“Kaiba.” Yami called, his authoritative voice ringing through the silence of the room.

Kaiba jumped, having forgotten he wasn’t alone.

_Well, that voice definitely didn’t help with the arousal!_

The inexperienced man turned to look at Yami. He watched, as the shorter man turned towards the second staircase and started walking down, slowly disappearing from view.

Kaiba was rooted to the spot.

_Did Yami expect him to follow?_

After all, if a _cage_ was on this floor, he dreaded to think about what could be hidden away downstairs?

Kaiba’s heart was racing. He didn’t want to know what else there was. He just wanted to leave and escape back to normality, because this place was far from normal. _There was a fucking cage in a lounge!_ All he had to do was take the stairs he’d walked up and that would lead him back to the shop, where he could leg it and never return.

The young CEO walked towards the staircase and hurried down.

\-----------

Yami patiently waited for Kaiba to join him. He couldn’t lie, he was thoroughly enjoying all of the CEO’s reactions.

_And he hasn’t even seen anything yet._

Chuckling, he uncrossed his arms from where they were folded in front of his chest and placed them in his pockets. He slowly wandered over to a window that almost covered the whole length of the wall it was secured to. He leaned against it and quietly observed what he could see through it.

Yami could hear movements coming from behind him.

_About time._

He was beginning to think Kaiba had backed out.

The older man stayed exactly where he was, not wanting to show any reaction to Kaiba’s presence.

_There’s a reason why all his clients ended up begging for his attention. Kaiba would be no different - Yami knew exactly how to break them._

He listened as Kaiba’s footsteps approached and stopped beside him.

A sharp intake of breath informed Yami that Kaiba had looked through the window they were stood by.

Yami knew that breath well.

It meant they liked what they saw.

\-----------------

Kaiba had noticed that the hallway he’d entered had the exact same wall coverings and flooring as the one above.

 _It wouldn’t kill the guy to add some light colours to this place. It was lighter outside than in here,_ he thought to himself, irritated because he knew the darkness was getting to him.

It was making him feel on edge. Like he was waiting for something to happen. Something the light of day was never allowed to see.

_Like being locked up in a cage._

A shiver ran through his body as he remembered how, just moments ago, he’d been aroused at the thought of being locked in it.

Gritting his teeth, he spotted Yami standing in a corner beside a window.

_A window? But there’s a door leading into a room right next to it. Why on earth would he need a window looking into the room?_

Confused, Kaiba thought about giving Yami a contact he knew in interior design because the guy _clearly_ didn’t know anything.

He stalked over to him.

_All he wanted to do was chat for fucks sake. Instead he was getting bossed about and given a tour of Domino City’s fucking House of Horrors._

As Kaiba approached the shorter man, he noticed the corner of Yami’s lip twitch upwards. Apart from that, there was no indication that he’d noticed Kaiba’s arrival.

_Fucking bastard._

If there was one thing that really incited Kaiba’s anger, it was being purposefully ignored.

Kaiba came to a stop next to Yami, ready to give him a piece of his mind when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He looked into the room they were standing outside of.

And gasped.

_Fucking hell._

He couldn’t move.

He couldn’t even think.

All he could do was stand and watch.

\------------

Inside, the room was a stark contrast to the theme of the rest of the building. It still had the black stone floor that seemed to be a constant feature, however that was only for part of the room. In fact, half the room was split diagonally as the top right corner of the room had artificial grass laid down.

The floor wasn’t the only difference making the room stand out; it’s walls were light pastel colours.

On the wall opposite the window, there was wallpaper, depicting long blades of grass in a dark shade of pine green, which contrasted nicely with the lime green background. A small window was set into the wall, however it was covered by a brown wicker blind.

Towards the far left corner, the wallpaper ended at the same point the fake grass did. Instead the last quarter of the wall was taken up by a random, rathern large steel pipe. A small radiator was next to it. Surrounding the pipe, the wall was painted a baby pink with a deeper shade used for the skirting boards. That colour was also covering the length of the adjacent wall, as far as Kaiba could see.

However, it wasn’t the change in decor that Kaiba was fixated on. In fact, he only briefly registered them. It was what was on the grass that Kaiba was paying full attention to.

There was a man with blonde, shaggy hair playing with a ball.

Naked.

He was wearing what looked like a muzzle covering half of his face and an ‘O’ ring gold collar around his neck. Kaiba’s eyes wandered down the length of the man’s body and he could feel them widen, while heat rose to his cheeks.

Hanging down between the man’s thighs there was a thin…

… yellow…

...tail.

Kaiba looked on, entranced but confused.

_How was it connected? There was no straps or belts visible so it should just fall off. Unless…_

A low, needy groan escaped from him before he could even begin to stop it.

His dick rubbed against the fabric of his boxers, fighting against its constraints.

Kaiba’s mind raced a hundred miles an hour, as he imagined, how it would feel to have the tail inside of him, rubbing the walls of his asshole with every move he took, while the fabric of the tail brushed against his balls, tickling them. Teasing him.

He whimpered.

 _What was going on with him? This was_ **_humiliating!_ ** _He would rather lose his hair than be subjected to such embarrassment. And nothing should even go near his asshole. It’s disgusting. Surely it was uncomfortable. How could anyone think, something going up their ass would be enjoyable? He was confused. That’s what it was. This place was messing with his head. The sooner he got out of here the better._

Angry with himself, he turned towards Yami, deciding that it was all his fault. He was ready to show him a piece of his mind when a slender finger was placed on his lips, immediately silencing him.

Normally Kaiba would have the person gasping for breath on the ground for even thinking of touching him, especially in such an intimate, demanding way. Yet here he was, Yami’s finger on his lips telling him to shut up.

His mouth went dry and he had the sudden urge to wrap his lips around the finger and suck it.

_It would be so easy to do so._

_The finger was right there, exactly where it needed to be._

If Kaiba could just tilt his head up ever so slightly he’d be able to put the tip of the digit into his mouth.

From there it would be so, _so_ easy.

Kaiba tilted his head.

He was going to do it.

He was going to suck Yami’s finger.

_What else would he be allowed to suck?_

He almost had it.

Just a bit further...

Yami chose that moment to move his finger away.

\-------------------

Yami was shocked at how expressive Kaiba was being.

He’d expected more of a challenge from him. Instead the ruthless businessman was already being very vocal and that was just because he’d taken one look at a cage and some very mild petplay!

Yami really couldn’t wait to see his response to the next level.

A slight shiver went down Yami’s spine as he thought of all the ways Kaiba might react: trembling, kneeling, moaning for Yami’s attention.

Yami had to bite back a small moan.

 _That’s never happened before!_ _At least, not since his early days where everything was new and thrilling._ Yami internally reprimanded himself. _This wasn’t helpful. Just because he thought Kaiba was one of his more..._ **_interesting_ ** _clients, didn’t mean he got to react. At least not outwardly. That’s not what they came to him for. So he needed to. Get. A. Grip._

Composing himself, he looked at Kaiba, turned on his heel and beckoned for him to follow before walking off.

\------------

Kaiba watched as Yami shivered slightly before his face seemed to harden and he turned around, his back towards Kaiba.

Kaiba felt disappointment welling up inside of him.

_Had he done something to upset him?_

_Wait._

_Since when the fuck did he care about upsetting others? Fuck off._

However, the war raging inside of Kaiba’s head didn’t last too long, as Yami beckoned for him to follow.

And this time, there was no delay as Kaiba immediately jumped into action.

\-------------

Yami felt amusement bubbling up inside of him, as he picked up on Kaiba’s willingness to see the rest of the studio.

He led Kaiba to a door to their right and held it open for him. Kaiba gave a small, curt nod as he walked through.

 _It was his way of saying thank you,_ Yami realised. _Well, he would start saying the words before long._

Yami allowed himself a small chuckle. He saw Kaiba’s eyes briefly turn to look at him, brows furrowed.

_He’s so confused. Poor boy._

Clearing his voice of all emotions, Yami directed Kaiba towards the staircase.

“Go down. I’ll follow.”

He watched as Kaiba seemed to hesitate for a moment before starting the descent.

 _There’s no way back now._ Yami thought, following with an almost sadistic sense of glee, knowing how uncomfortable Kaiba would be feeling in a moment.

\-----------

Kaiba walked downstairs, feeling the intensity of Yami’s glare on his back. Goosebumps were covering the length of Kaiba’s arms, and his stomach kept doing nervous little backflips with each step.

As he reached the ground floor, he was surprised at how different this hallway was to the last two. The floor was the same black stone that was consistently seen in the building, yet the walls were painted a deep crimson. The two colours compliment each other rather well, giving the room an almost supernatural feel. However, the couch to the right of the stairs was a complete contrast to the rest of the room. It was a white, two-seat leather sofa. Even for a two-seater sofa, it looked to be quite small.

 _Whoever sat on there would be rather squished._ Kaiba thought.

He looked around the rest of the hallway. If he were being honest, this was the most tasteful room he’d seen. It was still unnervingly dark but it was brighter and there were no surprises to freak him out.

Like a cage

And a man pretending to be a dog.

No, this room was nice.

He looked down the length of the hall and spotted a hot red, leather padded stool at the bottom. Again, this could fit two people, but only if they liked being squished.

Kaiba looked at the walls, taking in the decor. There was a picture of the ancient Egyptian god Osiris in a gold, ornate frame about halfway down the corridor, opposite Kaiba. It was located between two doors. One was a plain, black wooden door with a simple gold doorknob.

However, the doors closest to Kaiba had nothing simple about them.

It was a double door made out of stone and wood, with an elegant gold engraving adorning the wooden panels. They were shaped like an arch and dominated the wall they were built into.

Kaiba’s curiosity piqued.

He walked towards the doors and placed his hand on the handle.

He froze, remembering this wasn’t his place. 

So, he glanced back to where he could sense Yami was and looked at him.

Yami was sitting on the white couch, one leg crossed over the other and his arms stretched across the back. He saw Kaiba give him a questioning look, asking for permission to enter. He gave a curt nod.

Kaiba turned the handle and entered the room.

\------------

If someone had asked Kaiba to write down, what he expected to be on the other side of the doors, he wouldn’t have been able to answer.

He didn’t know what he’d expected.

Each room had held a surprise for him that had shocked him to his core.

But this…

... this room was something else.

Kaiba’s breath hitched in his throat. His feet were rooted to the floor.

He couldn’t think.

He couldn’t breath.

A thin sheen of sweat was beginning to form on his forehead.

He was mesmerized.

And confused.

And scared.

And nervous.

And so fucking horny!

It was like he’d stepped back in time.

Like the rest of the building, the floor was made from stone. However, these were not black granite tiles, but beige, sandstone slabs. The walls were also formed from the same material, making Kaiba feel as though he’d walked into a tomb. Adorning the walls, there was a gold, embellished mirror, stone carvings of sphinxes and cats, as well as a huge, hand-painted banner depicting a story that was written in hieroglyphs.

_So he does have an Ancient Egyptian fetish._

Stone shelves, that had geometric designs carved into them, hung across the opposite wall. Some had tiny stone statues on them, but most were bare. Below them, towards the far right corner, there was a rather large Golden Pothos plant. Next to it sat a king sized, circular bed with thin, beige chiffon curtains encircling it.

An array of cushions in multiple shades of brown were neatly piled up next to the headboard, making the bed seem very inviting for Kaiba. In fact, the whole room was.

_But why was there a bed?_

That, Kaiba couldn’t work out.

_It wasn’t like it was a home. This was a business._

Suddenly, finally, Kaiba understood what this place was.

_It was some sort of BDSM club, or whatever they were called._

Kaiba paled, yet his pupils dilated as his breathing quickened.

The thought of what went on in this place - in this room - consumed his every thought.

He imagined the cushions strewn haphazardly across the floor, while the sheets were a mess at the bottom of the bed.

He imagined the sound of heavy panting and moans coming from the writhing bodies on the bed.

One of which was him.

The other one was Yami.

Kaiba imagined pulling on his multi-coloured hair as Yami leered at him while he slowly thrusted into him...

“No!” Kaiba shouted at no one in particular.

He marched out of the room and slammed the door shut behind him, panting heavily as he leaned back against it, his hands pressed tightly against his face willing himself to calm down.

_This is not what he wants. It can’t be!_

_\--------_

Meanwhile Yami had seen everything from his spot on the leather couch. He’d seen the side of Kaiba’s face morph into one of shock and surprise as a flush crept up from underneath his black turtle-neck sweater. He’d seen his forehead shine in the dim lights coming from the steel, candle chandeliers from above, revealing the fact that Kaiba had been sweating. He’d also seen Kaiba’s boner pressing against the front of his trousers.

Yami adjusted himself slightly as he could feel his penis slowly gain interest.

_Shit._

Kaiba’s sudden yell echoed throughout the hallway, distracting Yami from the issue found in his trousers.

He saw Kaiba turn and quickly exit the room, forcefully shutting the door behind him and leaning back against it.

Yami closely observed his body language, taking in the heavy rise and fall of his chest, his trembling hands, and his slightly dishevelled hair.

Yami didn’t move.

He didn’t do anything.

Except wait.

The dominant man understood that this was a lot to take in for anyone, but most clients understood, where they were coming to when visiting Yami.

He knew for a fact, Kaiba didn’t.

As Kaiba seemed to calm down, Yami slowly rose to his feet and turned to a door to his right. He grabbed a glass from the cupboard underneath the bathroom sink, filled it with water and exited the bathroom.

Walking over to Kaiba, he made sure he didn’t walk too fast as to startle the younger man. Yami stopped far enough away that he didn’t impose on Kaiba’s personal space, but close enough that he could hand the glass of water over with ease.

Kaiba looked at him, eyes blown wide and brows furrowed in confusion.

“Drink.” Yami ordered.

Kaiba seemed to hesitate at first, but then he grabbed the glass and took a small sip. Pleased, Yami turned back towards the couch. He waved a hand in front of him, gesturing towards the furniture while looking straight at Kaiba.

“Please, sit.” He requested.

With shaking legs, Kaiba moved towards the couch before seeming to collapse on to it. Yami struggled to hold back the laugh, that threatened to burst out of him at the sigh Kaiba released.

Leaving Kaiba to relax for a couple of minutes on his own, Yami turned down the corridor and entered the door at the far end of the hallway.

\---------------

Kaiba heard Yami leave and enter another door. He let out a tiny groan.

_When was this nightmare going to be over with?_

He felt exhausted and the couch he was currently sitting on was incredibly comfy. He didn’t want to move ever again.

Yami returned and Kaiba opened his eyes and raised his head to look at him.

He’d brought with him the padded leather stool and what looked like a folder full of paperwork.

_Why the fuck has he brought them?_

He said nothing, just watched as Yami put the stool down opposite Kaiba and sat on it, crossing one leg over the other.

Yami looked at Kaiba almost as if waiting for him to say something.

Not for the first time, Kaiba had the feeling that Yami could see straight into his soul and was pulling him apart, bit by bit.

Squirming, he felt his irritation rise, aggravated by his exhaustion.

“What the hell is this place?”, he hissed under his breath just to break the silence that was starting to suffocate him.

Yami, unfazed by the tone Kaiba had adopted, replied calmly.

“This is my business. It’s called Kane Game. A play on the fact that it’s directly attached to Kame Game shop. Not what you expected, huh?”

“Not what I expected?” Kaiba repeated, his strength quickly returning. “Not what I expected? You can fucking say that again! This place is a fucking BDSM dungeon!” he cried.

All of the emotions he’d been holding in from the moment he’d met Yami seemed to take a hold of Kaiba. He didn’t know what to do with them, how to process them, and when Kaiba didn’t know how to handle his emotions, he channeled them all through the only emotion he could deal with: anger.

He quickly shot to his feet and started pacing up and down the corridor, restless energy coursing through him.

\---------

Yami just watched.

He watched as Kaiba clenched and unclenched his fists, as if fighting the urge to punch something. He saw, how his jaw twitched from where he was clenching it too hard.

Yami saw everything - he was trained to.

He just had to wait patiently, until Kaiba was ready to talk. There was no point forcing him, as it would never work out well otherwise.

The minutes ticked by, as Kaiba continued to pace the hallway, while Yami continued to watch. No one said a word. It was just them and the silence of the room.

Slowly, Kaiba’s pacing seemed to come to a stop and he stood near the white couch, exhaustion etched into his face. Yami looked at him with gentle eyes.

 _Now seemed to be a good time to speak,_ he thought.

Once again, he gestured towards the couch.

Picking up on what Yami was asking of him, Kaiba sat down.

They stared at each other, waiting for the other one to say something.

Eventually Kaiba couldn’t handle the silence anymore.

“Who are you?”, he inquired.

“My name is Yami, as you fully well know.” was the reply.

Frustrated, Kaiba felt like ripping his hair out of his scalp.

_He fucking knew that already._

“I’ve got that, thanks. But I mean who are you _here?”_ he elaborated.

Yami took a moment to answer the question.

“I’m the owner of this studio and head dominus. This part of the business,” he gestured to everything around him, “Is my personal space. We call it The Pharaoh’s Tomb.”

Kaiba laughed.

_Fuck. He really has got a fetish._

“And why is it called that? You wanna be buried here or something?” Kaiba couldn’t hide the amusement from his voice, and to be perfectly honest, he didn’t care. He watched as Yami’s eyes seemed to get darker and flicker ominously in the faint light of the room. Kaiba’s stomach did tiny little somersaults wondering what that look could mean.

He wasn’t sure if he wanted to know.

He wasn’t sure that he didn’t want to know.

Yami leaned forward, as if preparing to share a secret with him.

“It’s called the Pharaoh’s tomb because,” he began, leaning in closer, his voice barely more than a whisper, “I am The Pharaoh.”

He leaned back as Kaiba tried processing what he’d just been told.

The Pharaoh.

This man goes by the name of The Pharaoh.

 _What an arrogant asshole,_ he thought.

Then, out of nowhere, Pegasus’s flushed, smirking face appeared.

_Of course. I’m sorry, your Majesty._

That’s what he’d said to Yami last night. He’d called him “Your Majesty”.

_So then, that hadn’t been one of Pegasus’s little jokes. That had been them, playing this stupid game._

_Would Yami make him call him “Your Majesty”?_

Kaiba’s breath hitched at the thought and his whole body trembled.

_Yami forcing him to his knees, asking him to say his name._

_Kaiba refusing._

_Yami making him a squirming, pathetic, writhing mess on the floor until he finally couldn’t take anymore of Yami’s games._

“Kaiba?” Yami’s concerned voice drifted through his thoughts and broke him from out of his reverie.

“Huh?” was all he could say.

“Are you okay?” Yami asked.

Kaiba blushed, embarrassed to have been caught distracted, lost in his own thoughts.

“Am I okay? Let’s see shall we.” Once again, Kaiba redirected everything he was feeling into anger. “I’m currently sat in the middle of a fucking BDSM club, talking to the head dom, all because some silver haired bastard couldn’t keep away from me last night. So yeah, I’m fucking fine.”

Yami just stared, waiting for Kaiba to finish his rant.

Once he knew Kaiba wasn’t going to speak anymore, Yami pressed on with his own questions.

“Why’s this all Pegasus’s fault?”

Kaiba floundered at the question.

“Well because I… well...it just is, okay?”

_There was no way he could tell Yami the truth. The truth being that he couldn’t get last night out of his mind and that if Pegasus hadn’t approached him, he would never have met Yami._

Yami, on the other hand, seemed to know exactly what Kaiba was thinking.

He smirked.

“Fair enough. However I fail to see how Pegasus plays any part in your blatant need to be dominated. After all, that is why you’re here, isn’t it?”

Yami had to hold back his laughter as he saw Kaiba’s face fall, his eyes wide with fear and arousal while his arms hung limply at his sides.

_That’s what he thought._

Kaiba reminded him of a fish, as he opened and closed his mouth a few times, looking as though he was trying to find the ability to speak again.

Yami waited.

\--------------

_To be dominated?_

_Dominated?_

_Is that what he wanted?_

_Is that why he’d been reacting the way he had?_

_But that - that couldn’t be right._

_He bossed everyone around!_

_He didn’t trust anyone._

_That couldn’t be true._

_It couldn’t be, and how would Yami dare to even suggest it?_

_He’d show him._

Kaiba opened his mouth to tell Yami exactly how he felt.

“I - I...yes.” he whispered.

_Wait. No, that’s not what he wanted to say. Why the fuck was he saying yes?_

“I mean,” he began again, watching Yami’s eyebrow lift upwards, questioning him. “I don’t get bossed around. I can’t be dominated. I refuse.” He crossed his arms in front of him, trying his best to give his most intimidating glare.

Yami only smiled.

“You know, most, if not all my clients boss everyone around all day, everyday. Being dominated isn’t about being weak. It’s about letting go and allowing someone else to take charge for a while. It’s a way to relax and unwind. And, no matter how much you try to deny it, you can’t help the way you feel.”

Kaiba could only sit and stare, letting Yami’s words sink in.

_Relax…_

_Unwind…_

_Can’t deny it…_

“But I don’t even know, what that entails.” he admitted, hating himself for revealing his true feelings.

“I can help you.”

Kaiba stared into Yami’s face, into those eyes that had haunted him for the past 24 hours. For some reason, he seemed to trust this man. At least, as much as he could trust someone. Why? He wasn’t sure, but part of Kaiba knew he wanted to try this.

\-----------

Yami could see the internal battle Kaiba was having. It was in his eyes and the way he kept tensing his shoulders and then relaxing them. He could see the weariness and reservations he had, as well as the need and the want to accept his proposition. He knew that what Kaiba needed more than anything at this moment, was more time.

Time to think it over.

Time to learn.

Yami stood up, startling Kaiba.

He walked towards the stairs and addressed the CEO.

“However, come to think of it, you did say last night that it was _disgusting_ and _sick games_. Of course you wouldn’t want to accept my offer. I apologise. You do remember the way out, don’t you? Good. Make sure, not to disturb our dog on your way. Good night."

\-----------

Kaiba blinked, wondering what had happened. The mood had shifted too quickly for his tired mind to make sense of. However, he knew enough to realise he was being dismissed.

Stumbling over his feet, he clumsily walked over to the stairs and started to climb them, acutely aware of Yami watching him until he reached the top. He exited the changing room, swiftly walked past the petplay room, up the second flight of stairs, past the lounge with the cage, down the last staircase, out the door leading back into the game room and then out of the front door into the cold night air.

He stopped on the street corner, inhaling the fresh air, enjoying the way the autumn breeze seemed to bite at his heated cheeks. His mind full with what he’d just seen, he slowly made his way over to where he’d parked his car.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Christmas is the time for giving (and receiving! *insert cheesy sex joke here*) so we decided that maybe, just maybe, we could be kind to everyone.
> 
> If you want to make sure you don't miss anything new and exciting that may, or may not, be released this Christmas then I suggest you subscribe or follow us on our tumblr: Ajenomi.
> 
> Also, we love to receive...
> 
> ...comments, (amongst other things). ;P  
> So if you're feeling generous this holiday season, then please just drop us a comment. (Even if it is to say you hate everything about it!)
> 
> Special thanks, as always, to our wonderful editor: PrettiUgli. We love you!!!  
> Moodboard done by the amazing Venom.  
> Art done by our wonderfully talented, Jenicorn.
> 
> <3


	5. But I know you know what the truth is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's that? 
> 
> It's not Friday?
> 
> That's true. However we did leave it on an angsty note so we thought well, why not post another quickly!?
> 
> Enjoy. ;)

“Seto!”

Came an excited yell from the top of the stairs as he stepped out of the garage and into the main entrance hall. Suddenly, Kaiba found himself trapped in the arms of his 15 year old brother.

He hugged Mokuba back and looked down to see large, lilac eyes beaming up at him with a huge grin on his face.

Despite all the stress he was currently feeling, Kaiba couldn’t help but smile back at his little brother. He ruffled Mokuba’s hair before he pulled back.

Mokuba got the hint and let go of Kaiba.

“Where have you been? You were supposed to have been back this morning.”

Mokuba’s smile seemed to falter and his brows creased together with worry as he interrogated Kaiba about his delayed return home. Kaiba continued to smile at Mokuba - the last thing he needed was to worry him.

“I had to go to work to check on the prototypes.” was all he said.

He headed towards the stairs and started walking up them. Mokuba followed.

“But why? You could have left them for tomorrow. You said you’d be back today and we could play video games all day!”

“Mokuba, you know I can’t just drop everything to play video games. When there’s an emergency at work, I have to be there.” Kaiba responded, slowly starting to lose his patience.

“What was the problem?”, Mokuba inquired.

“What problem?”

“You said there was a problem. Did they not like the prototype at the conference? Or did it malfunction? Or did it - “

“Enough.”

Kaiba turned on his heel to glare at Mokuba, who in turn stopped in his tracks and stared at Kaiba with a slightly crestfallen look on his face.

Kaiba sighed.

_God, he hates that look. He just wanted some peace, not a guilt trip from his little brother._

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Kaiba shut his eyes and counted to ten before he turned back to look at Mokuba.

“Look Mokuba, there was no issues with the new disc at the conference. In fact they loved it. Okay? I just had to make sure that we’re on track with the production of them, as well as making a few phone calls. There’s nothing to worry about but at the same time I still had to go into work. I’m sorry I couldn’t come home but I’ll make it up to you _if_ you stop pestering me. Got it?”

Mokuba looked at Kaiba, as if weighting up his options.

He nodded.

“Got it.”

With that, the younger brother turned and went back downstairs.

 _Probably to go and raid the kitchen pantry,_ Kaiba thought, rolling his eyes. Turning back around, he walked down the hallway to the door farthest on the right. He twisted the handle, strode in and then locked the door behind him.

Finally, he was safe in his own bedroom.

Kaiba strode over to his bed and collapsed onto it, letting out a sigh of exhaustion.

Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to relax his muscles, feeling his body sink into the comfort of his memory foam mattress while his hands unknowingly stroked the Egyptian cotton sheets that were adorning his bed.

He loved these sheets.

They were soft to the touch and the repetitive movements of his hands helped to calm Kaiba’s tense nerves.

He stayed like this for a while.

He wasn't thinking, or listening, or having to exert any energy of any kind.

He just had to _be_.

Eventually, Kaiba pushed himself into a sitting position.

The room was dark, as he hadn’t bothered switching the light on when he entered it.

He didn't mind the dark however.

He found it soothing.

Kaiba dug his phone out of his pocket to check the time.

23:23

_Was it really that late?_

At the same time, he felt as though it should be later than that.

_This day had dragged on and on._

All of a sudden his phone buzzed in his hand startling him so much that he almost dropped it. A message alert appeared. 

He clicked on it.

_What could someone want at this time? It couldn't be work, otherwise they'd email him or ring._

After typing in his passcode, his message box appeared and his mood turned sour as he looked at it.

 **_Pegasus (1)_ **  
_Kaiba boy! Soooo did you find it? I want..._

_Piss off._

He switched his phone off and chucked it to the other side of the bed where it almost bounced off.

 _He'd just calmed down and now the white haired git had to spoil it_ .

Kaiba rested his elbows on his knees and put his face into his hands.

He felt like screaming, but he couldn't, because then, Mokuba would come running in.

A faint buzzing noise came from his phone, muffled due to the sheets it was nestled into.

_Hadn't he just switched it off!?_

Kaiba reached over to grab it.

_Apparently not. He must have just locked it instead._

Glaring at the screen, he read the new notification:

_1 new message._

Before he could clear it however, the notification changed.

_2 new messages._

Growling, he slid his finger across the screen and typed in his passcode once again.

Opening his messages, he noticed, that Pegasus was still his top conversation.

**_Pegasus (3)_ **

_Don't tell me - you're still there. I expect all the..._

_Still where?_  
_Hold on._  
_That motherfucking bastard!_

Growling, he clicked on the conversation to open it.

He read the three new messages.

**23:24**  
Kaiba boy! Soooo did you find it? I want all the details of your first visit. Did you get your contract sorted out? Was it busy!? Don't hold anything back. X  
  
**23:28**  
Kaiba! It is only polite to answer someone when they are conversing with you. Honestly, this rudeness will not go unpunished with His Majesty. Or maybe you like that? Hmm?  
  
**23:29**  
Don't tell me - you're still there! I expect all the details once you're done (that is, after you've rested and recovered!). And if you're not still there then stop ignoring me. After all, I selflessly gave you all the information you sought. It's only fair. What the fuck is this guy’s deal!?

Kaiba read the messages once more. He could almost hear Pegasus’s voice reading them in his head.

It was irritating.

The tone of the messages was one of amusement and glee.

Pegasus found the idea of Kaiba visiting Yami’s studio _entertaining._

It was humiliating _._

Anger clouding his mind, he quickly typed out a response.

**23:37**

Listen here you irritating little prick. What I do is none of your business AND for your information, I only wanted to speak to Yami. I want no part of whatever fucking shit he does. It’s disgusting and degrading. Got it!? Now piss off and leave me alone!

He hit send and threw the phone back onto the bed.

 _So much for being fucking relaxed!_ Kaiba thought bitterly, standing up.

He started to pace up and down the length of his room, Pegasus’s words swimming in front of his eyes.

Kaiba hated to admit it, but he didn’t understand most of what Pegasus had said.

_Like the bit about a contract - what the hell is that all about? It's not like he's going into business with the guy!_

_Also the ‘rested and recovered’ part. What would he need to recover from!?_

These were just more questions to add to the already intimidating mountain of questions that he had.

However, it wasn’t the questions that bothered him the most. It wasn’t even the way Pegasus seemed to be enjoying himself. It was, what he’d called Yami, that was bothering him.

He’d called him ‘His Majesty’.

Shivers once again went down Kaiba’s spine.

Deep down, Kaiba knew that he liked it. If he were to be honest with himself, he would realise, that any disgust he felt wasn’t directed at Yami, or even Pegasus.

Instead, it was at himself.

Something had awoken in Kaiba and he wasn’t sure what it was.

What he did understand, was, that he wanted to see Yami again.

Not only that, but he wanted to _experience_ what Yami could offer him.

What The Pharaoh could do to him.

Kaiba’s stomach tensed at the thought of what would happen.

_He would go back to the shop and descend the staircases to the Pharaoh’s Tomb where Yami would order him to strip, while he sat on the leather sofa, just watching. As Kaiba took off his clothes, Yami would tell him to kneel._

_Kaiba would, without arguing._

_“Good boy.”, the Pharaoh would praise._

He let out a little whimper as his thoughts escaped from him. For some unknown reason, Kaiba was aroused at the thought of being laid bare in front of Yami,

completely at his mercy and begging for his praise.

Taking his clothes off, Kaiba laid back on his bed. He made himself comfortable and gave in to the temptation.

He gently gripped his shaft and slowly started tugging on it, closing his eyes and losing himself in his fantasies.

_Yami beckoned him to crawl towards him - slowly._

_Kaiba did._

_The Pharaoh spread his legs apart allowing Kaiba to settle on the floor between his feet, his head still pointing towards the floor._

_“Such a good pet.”, Yami crooned._

Bringing one hand down between his legs, he cupped and kneaded his balls. Shocks of pleasure shot through his body as the hand on his dick sped up its movements, spreading the pre-cum that was leaking from his tip around the rest of his erection.

Kaiba let out tiny pants as the pleasure consumed him.

_Kaiba felt the Pharaoh stroke his hair. It was gentle and loving. The brunet preened at the attention he was receiving. It was soothing and relaxing._

_He could happily stay like this forever._

_All of a sudden, Yami’s hand twisted in his hair and pulled his head back, forcing him to meet those eyes that haunted his every waking moment. They gleaned mischievously._

A moan escaped Kaiba’s lips as he dipped his thumb into his slit. He was close. He could feel the tension building in the pit of his stomach. His legs were twitching with every upward stroke of his erection.

_“I want you to do something for me. Can you do that?”_

_“Yes.” Kaiba panted._

_The grip in his hair grew stronger, pain shooting through his scalp as though Yami was going to pull each strand out by the root._

_“Yes what?” He growled. His voice was low and gravely._ _It made Kaiba’s dick twitch with want._

_“Yes, Your Majesty.”_

“Fuuuccckkk.” Kaiba moaned as spurts of white fluid came shooting out of his tip and covering his hand.

Shockwaves of pleasure coursed throughout his whole body. His toes curled and his muscles clenched before a tingling, weightless sensation encompassed his entire being, turning his body into a boneless heap that was sinking into the plush pillows behind his head.

His mind went blank.

Kaiba lay there, waiting for his breathing to even out, too tired to do anything. He could feel his cum drying on his hand and stomach but right now, he didn't care.

He just wanted to stay like this forever.

However, he knew he couldn’t go to sleep with cum covering his hands.

Forcing himself to move, he got up and padded over to his en suite. Not bothering with a shower, he washed his hands under the tap while using a washcloth to wipe himself down. Carelessly, he chucked the cloth into the laundry hamper and wandered back over to his bed.

He collapsed in it, burying himself under his sheets. Sighing with contentedness, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Unbeknownst to Kaiba, his phone buzzed on the other side of his bed with a new notification.

_1 new message._

\--------------

Yami walked out of his bathroom, leaving a cloud of steam behind him.

He entered the moderately sized kitchen and strode over to the fridge, opened it and grabbed a beer, before letting the door swing shut. After removing the cap, Yami took a rather large gulp, feeling the refreshing, bitter taste go down his throat.

He let out a little noise of contentment.

_It had been a long weekend and he just wanted to relax._

Yami wandered over to the living room and grabbed the tv remotes. Sitting down on his chocolate brown fabric sofa, he switched the television on.

Mindlessly, he flicked through the channels waiting for something to catch his eye. Eventually he settled on a rerun of an old sitcom.

It wasn’t what he wanted, but he couldn’t be arsed getting up and putting a DVD on.

_It’s not too bad. It just means, he doesn't have to waste energy paying attention to the plot of something._

He settled back into the plush cushions of the couch. The chenille fabric of the sofa was a warm, soft touch on Yami’s bare back and shoulders.

He didn't want to get up again.

He was exhausted and comfy.

The shower had washed away the stresses of the day, but left him feeling lethargic and drained.

On the other hand, there was a part of him, that was tense and left him feeling a bit agitated, especially since he didn’t know why.

Yami took sips from his beer, as he kept his eyes focused on the show in front of him, not that he was paying much attention to what was happening.

However, that didn’t matter.

He knew it well, which in turn helped to clear his mind from any thoughts.

The show ended without Yami really noticing. His eyes kept shutting and he could feel himself starting to drift off to sleep.

That was, until he was rudely awakened by a news report.

_“Following the optimistic presentation of his latest technology, Seto Kaiba looks set to dominate Christmas this year as critics expect the new Duel Disc to be The Thing to buy when it is released.”_

The news report switched to a clip of Kaiba unveiling his new product.

Yami sat up, eyes focused intently on Kaiba.

Everything else faded around him.

He watched, as Kaiba stood at the podium, answering someone’s question.

Yami wasn't listening.

Instead, he took in the way that his hair shined under the lights of the stage, and how his slender fingers wrapped around the edges of the podium. He saw, how his Adam’s apple kept popping into view above his shirt collar every time he spoke.

_Oh fuck no._

Yami thought with a sickening sense of dread.

He now understood the reason for his tension:

He wanted Seto Kaiba.

Just seeing him in a news report was enough to get his dick stirring with interest.

_Nope. No way. Nu-uh. This was not true. At. All._

But it was.

Yami thought back to the way he’d felt, when showing Kaiba around his studio. The way he’d became aroused, hearing the little gasps and moans coming from Kaiba’s mouth.

Yami was attracted to Kaiba.

That much was true.

 _Fucking great._ Yami cursed bitterly in his head.

At the reminder of Kaiba’s very enthusiastic responses from the studio, Yami was now sporting a rather impressive erection, that was peeking out from between the folds of the towel he had wrapped around his waist.

Groaning in a mixture of frustration and arousal, Yami decided to take care of it.

He’d learned a long time ago, that holding back and leaving it alone was detrimental to his overall wellbeing.

Physically and mentally.

Yami clicked mute on the tv and leaned back into the couch, making himself comfortable.

He shut his eyes and let his mind wander.

_It took him to his Tomb where there was a tall, lean body, bound and kneeling at the foot of his bed. A delicious flush stood out on his flawless, alabaster skin, while the black hemp stood out against the wonderful canvas it was wrapped around._

_Further down the body, standing up proudly from a mess of dark curls, was a rather hard, leaking erection._

_It was a deep shade of red and the tip was shining under the faint glow of the candle light._

_The submissive was visibly shaking from exertion. Sweat had matted his brown hair, making it curl slightly at the base of his neck._

_His head was lowered, so his chin was resting upon his chest. It flinched slightly, as Yami addressed him._

_“So Kaiba, do you want to try that again? Or am I going to have to try a different method to get your cooperation?”_

_“No.”_

_Yami sighed, letting his displeasure be known at Kaiba’s clear defiance._

_Yami pressed a button on the remote he was holding._

_Moans escaped from between Kaiba’s dry lips, as the vibrations from the toy lodged inside of him increased in their intensity._

_Yami watched, as Kaiba almost buckled forward under the onslaught. However, he remained where he was, like a good pet should._

“Uhhh.” Yami moaned, his hand moving along the length of his shaft, hand twisting each time he brought it up to the head of his dick.

He spread his legs further and brought one hand down to knead his balls.

“Yeeess.” He hissed, hips rocking up to meet each downward stroke of his hand.

It felt so good.

He wasn’t going to last much longer - he could feel it.

_Clenching his eyes shut, he could see Kaiba moaning wantonly, his mouth agape, as he tried to breath between his pleas for mercy._

_“You know what to do to make it stop, so why don’t you be a good boy for a change?” Yami encouraged._

_Kaiba shook his head erratically._

_A resounding, defiant ‘no’._

_Once again, Yami increased the intensity of the vibrator._

_Kaiba started to let out little whimpers as it became too much for him._

_“Ple-ase.” He begged._

“ _Ask nicely.” Yami goaded._

_Kaiba remained silent, except for broken sobs and moans._

_Yami thought he wasn’t going to get a response and was just about to increase the vibrators setting, when he finally heard, what he’d wanted to hear all night._

_“Please, Your Majesty.”_

Cum came shooting out of his dick without warning. Yami felt it splatter over his stomach and hands, which he kept working over his erection until he was sure every last drop was drained from him.

He let go of his penis and felt his body go limp. He revelled in the peace that had consumed him, allowing the aftershocks to take their course.

His mind had gone blank and there was no longer a part of him that was tense.

It was bliss.

Yami stayed exactly where he was, until the after effects of his orgasm started to dull and his legs were no longer twitching.

Slowly, he opened his eyes and looked down at the mess he’d made.

Semen had covered his lower torso and hands while sweat glistened across his chest.

Thankfully, he still had his towel from earlier, so he just used that to wipe off his cum.

While he did that, his mind started working again.

That was, when the full realisation of what he’d just done hit him.

_He’d just_ **_masturbated_ ** _to the idea of Kaiba bound and calling him ‘Your Majesty’._

“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” He repeated under his breath.

Yami inhaled deeply, held it for five seconds before he slowly released it.

He repeated the breathing exercises until he felt calmer and less panicky.

 _It’s not as bad as it seems,_ he thought, trying to reason with himself.

_After all, Kaiba wouldn’t be the first client he’d lusted over. He soon got over them._

_Anyway, Kaiba made his displeasure known. Yami highly doubted that he’d see him again._

A small wave of disappointment settled in Yami’s chest at that thought.

He wanted to see Kaiba again.

_How could he make that happen, though? He’d dismissed him and Kaiba was far too proud to return of his own accord._

Yami sat and thought about it for a moment, conflicting emotions fighting for his attention.

There was something he could do.

_But would it be right?_

There was nothing unethical about it but at the same time, morally, Yami felt as though he would be pushing the boundaries of what he was allowed to do as a professional.

 _Would it be worth it?,_ a small voice whispered inside his head.

 _Yes,_ Yami thought without hesitation.

He stood up on shaky legs and slowly walked to his bedroom. He picked up his phone from where it was on charge and unlocked it.

Scrolling through his contacts, he paused, hesitating for a moment, before clicking on ‘Pegasus’.

Yami quickly typed out a message and hit send, before he could back out of it.

Now all he could do was wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, who knew that was going to happen!? Jenicorn certainly didn't! It almost killed her with excitement, poor baby! xD
> 
> Now, our dear Venom is already celebrating Christmas in Germany (apparantly they're impatient and can't wait one more day! I don't blame them tbf. Kinda jealous.) so this is a Christmas present for them! If we have anymore German readers, Merry Christmas!
> 
> Although, for the rest of us, there is one more day left until Christmas. So, maybe, if you all beg nicely, the Pharaoh might just reward you...
> 
> As always, thank you to our wonderful editor, PrettiUgli! We love you babes!
> 
> And thanks to all of you for your kind words and kudos. It's fueling us! We go all 'ahhh! Did you see what they put!? OMG!'
> 
> Or words to that affect. xD
> 
> Moodboard by the fabulous Venom.
> 
> <3


	6. But these old shades, Make me feel safe

Kaiba had been staring at the piece of paper that was laid in front of him for so long, that he could no longer read the words printed on the sheet. It was all just a blur of black and white.

_Why did he have to read it? He just wanted to get on with shit. After all, they’ve spent what felt like a million years discussing every minute detail. He was happy with it, for fucks sake, so let him just sign the fucking contract so they can get to work!_

While his new potential business partner and their team spoke with his own legal representative, Kaiba's mind wandered to a more _interesting_ contract he could have been working on.

It had been exactly one week since his visit to Kane Game and Kaiba had been looking up answers to certain questions he had. One of which had been about a contract that Pegasus had mentioned.

Kaiba hadn’t understood why a contract would be pitched to him by Yami and after the question played on his mind for three days, Kaiba had given into curiosity and googled it.

Four days later and it was all he could think about.

The information he’d gathered had acted like fuel to a flame.

What was already a rather enticing itch under his skin had became a full blown obsession, that he could not scratch, no matter what he tried.

It was getting to a point where Kaiba could think of nothing else, but what he might put in his personal contract with Yami.

And what Yami would put in for him.

Kaiba's stomach churned at all the possibilities.

Of course, he knew it would include all the boring shit that every contract included, but at the same time it would include discussions on what Kaiba desired.

What turned him on.

And Yami…

Yami would know more.

He would maybe discuss binding Kaiba.

Or maybe treating him like a pet.

Or even how much pain Kaiba could tolerate.

“... Kaiba-San?”

Kaiba snapped out of his daydreaming and stared at the faces around the table.

They were all looking at him with similar expressions of confusion and expectation.

They were waiting for an answer.

_To what question?_

Kaiba cleared his throat.

“I don’t know what else you expect me to say. I’ve made my feelings and thoughts clear throughout this whole process. Nothing could please me more then to finally sign the contract that would bring our two businesses together, Aoki-San.”

 _Well there’s one thing that would bring him more pleasure,_ he thought with slight amusement. Not that he let it show on his face.

After successfully avoiding the question, he observed the faces of his business associates.

They’d all lost the confusion from their faces and instead were starting to smile.

Aoki Riku, the middle-aged, balding CEO sitting opposite him beamed at his response.

_Apparently he’d done something right._

Kaiba watched as he turned towards his team of executives sitting around him speaking in low voices. They all nodded and then looked up.

“Kaiba-San nothing would give me more pleasure, also. Shall we?”

With a sigh of relief, Kaiba signed the contract of his latest investment wishing that he was signing a different one.

\--------------

Kaiba tried not to rush back to his office once he’d said his goodbyes to his new business partner. In fact, he didn’t want to go back to his office in the first place.

All he wanted to do was go home and lock himself in his room, allowing his mind to freely imagine scenarios that included Yami.

On the other hand, if Kaiba were to be truly honest with himself, that wasn’t what he wanted either.

What he really desired, was something, his own pride and stubbornness were refusing him.

Kaiba wanted nothing more, than to go to Yami’s studio and just let him do whatever he desired to the CEO.

Kaiba’s pace quickened.

The arousal, that had appeared in the meeting, and went away with talks of business, was now returning.

He could feel his stomach churning again, while his dick started to stir in his pants.

Reaching his personal elevator, he forcefully jabbed the button that called it. He tried not to show any outward emotion, while he waited for the doors to open, yet his foot kept tapping out of impatience.

The glass doors pinged open and Kaiba quickly stepped inside, pressing the button that led straight to his office.

As the doors slid open, he noticed his secretary look up from her computer. Her hazel eyes narrowed slightly as she seemed to pick up on his impatience.

 _She’s too observant._ Kaiba thought, heading straight past her.

“Did the meeting go well?”, she inquired.

All Kaiba did was nod in reply before entering his office, the door slamming shut behind him.

Instead of heading to his desk, he went straight for the adjoining bathroom and locked the door, once he was inside.

Gripping the edges of the porcelain sink, Kaiba inhaled deeply, held it for five seconds before exhaling slowly. He repeated this exercise four more times, trying to relieve any tension that he felt, weighing him down like a drenched, woolen blanket.

It wasn’t working.

Not that he expected it to - he’d been doing these breathing exercises all week, to no avail.

All he was doing, was fooling himself.

There was only one thing - one person - that would help him:

Yami.

However, Kaiba wasn’t sure his pride could handle seeing him again. After all Yami had dismissed him at their last meeting. Even if he hadn’t, Kaiba was still unsure whether it was what he wanted, contrary to what his fantasies and dick said. Then again, the hesitation could just be his nerves.

_Fucking emotions._

Kaiba sat down on the toilet, feeling the coldness of the seat, even through the fabric of his trousers.

With his head in his hands, Kaiba tried to organise his thoughts as objectively as he could.

On one hand, Kaiba was very reserved. He refused to have anything to do with relationships, be it purely physical, or something more serious.

That’s the way he had always been. It was not worth it in his opinion, as it could get in the way of work. Not to mention the vulnerability and level of trust it would involve.

On the other hand, this fixation with Yami was already getting in the way of work. He was unable to sleep without waking up with an erection, begging for his attention. Thoughts of Yami were even starting to leak through into his business meetings. Thankfully, the meeting he had earlier was a walk in the park. Kaiba knew, it would end in a contract signing with very little changes to discuss. But what if it had been something else? He could have fucked it up.

Groaning, he gripped his hair.

_What was he supposed to do!?_

He thought about going to the studio again, trying to meet with him, but his pride told him not to. If Yami didn’t want him, then he wouldn’t dare go back. He’d look desperate.

 _But he really wanted_ **_something._ **

Kaiba wasn’t sure what, but he knew, that he could trust Yami to figure it out.

Even then, he wasn’t sure how he knew he could trust Yami. It was very unlike him, but Kaiba couldn’t shake the strange feeling away.

_If only he had a number he could contact. It would make everything so much fucking easier._

That’s when it hit him.

Digging his phone out of his pocket, he begrudgingly searched for Pegasus’s name.

_He’d have a number._

The conversation history opened on his phone, and Kaiba realised that there was a new message.

_I forgot about that._

Pegasus had messaged him one last time that night he visited the studio. Kaiba hadn’t spotted it until the next morning, but he’d been too pissed off and on edge to even look at it.

 _Now’s as good a time as any,_ he figured.

_Well, well, Kaiba-boy. You must have done something correct. The Pharaoh sends his regards and requests that you contact him as soon as possible. I wouldn’t keep him waiting, if I were you. He gets a bit_ **_touchy_ ** _if you take too long to follow orders._

Attached to the message was a contact number.

Kaiba just stared.

He read the message again.

And then one more time.

_Was he reading this right?_

_Was Pegasus playing tricks on him?_

_“The Pharaoh sends his regards and requests that you contact him…”_

_Yami wants him to call?_

_Yami wants him to call!_

Kaiba's stomach seemed to tighten with nerves and arousal. They increased in their intensity, as the next part of the message processed in his mind.

 _“...as soon as possible...He gets a bit_ **_touchy_ ** _if you take too long to follow orders.”_

 _What the fuck could he do to him!?_ Kaiba wondered, amused at the thought of Yami trying to threaten him. _Hunt him down and whip his ass!?_

 _Actually, that second part might be true._ Kaiba remembered, that Yami did that for a living. It was highly possible and Kaiba was willingly contacting him to do so. _Maybe he’d put me in the cage as punishment?_

Kaiba's penis was standing at full attention now, wondering what Yami’s reaction might be for leaving him waiting a week before calling him.

Ignoring it for the time being, Kaiba clicked on the contact number and pressed dial, before he could chicken out.

Holding the phone to his ear, he waited for Yami to pick up.

\----------

Yami waited at the crossing with only an array of different backs to stare at.

 _Stupid tall people._ He thought bitterly.

Today he was in a foul mood.

Once again, a particular stupid, tall person was on his mind from the moment he’d woken up.

In fact, the stupid, tall person in question must have been on his mind through the night as well, because he’d woken up with a rather insistent boner.

And it wasn’t the first time this past week, that it had occurred.

Yami usually blamed his work for any untoward attraction towards clients.

After all, his job didn’t allow him any relief, despite what people might believe. 

As a dominus, his only focus was his clients. They were the ones who got relief, while Yami had to try and keep his composure. Most of the time, any arousal was caused by the mere fact he surrounded himself with highly sexual scenarios, yet every now and then he would find, that he had an attraction towards a client.

Being the professional that he was, Yami never let it interfere with work. It normally just disappeared, once he’d had a couple of sessions with them, proving that it was a purely physical reaction, rather than an interest in the actual person.

Kaiba Seto, however, was something else.

Yami had never come across someone who had affected him like this.

From the moment he’d laid eyes on the man at the conference, he’d been enraptured with him.

Yami wanted to know more about him.

What little he could find on the internet was boring, unimportant stuff, as well as rumours, that he heard everyday just from living in Domino city.

Knowing that Kaiba would be an interesting conversationalist, Yami wanted to talk to him more.

He wanted to know, what the ruthless businessman liked doing beyond what his public persona suggests.

More importantly, Yami wanted to know, how to break him. To make him nothing more than a squirming, moaning mess begging for mercy.

The light turned green and Yami was pushed forwards, breaking him from his reverie. He moved with the crowd and he’d just reached the other side of the road, when his phone rang.

He realised, that it was his work phone.

Fishing it out of his jacket pocket, he looked at the caller ID.

_Unknown number_

_Interesting._

Yami loved getting calls from unknown numbers, as it usually meant a new client and that was always fun.

He clicked accept and held the phone to his ear.

“Hello.” He greeted.

There was no reply. Instead all Yami could hear was the faint sound of irregular breathing.

Yami frowned.

“Hello.” He repeated the greeting again.

“Hello.”, came the reply.

Yami’s eyes widened at the deep, silky voice of one Kaiba Seto.

 _So he did get his message._ Yami thought, elated.

However the elation didn’t last long as feelings of anger and annoyance washed over him.

_What the fuck took this pompous uptight asshole so long!?_

Not letting on, that he knew who was on the other line and making sure that his voice remained emotionless, Yami spoke again.

“Who is this?”

There was a pause, as Yami listened to any sounds coming from the other end.

There was nothing, except faint static.

Yami smirked.

He figured, Kaiba wasn’t thrilled at that question.

“It’s,” Kaiba coughed and started again. “It’s Kaiba. You, erm, you told Pegasus to give me your number.” Kaiba’s voice seemed to falter, as if losing any confidence he had.

 _He’s probably doubting Pegasus,_ Yami mused. _I don’t blame him._

Pegasus was known for his little tricks.

“What did the message say? It’s been that long since I sent it that I’ve forgotten what I put.” Yami heard the noticeable hitch in Kaiba’s voice down the receiver.

After being in his line of work for as long as he has been, Yami could pick up that sound from miles away.

“It said that you wanted me to contact you.”

“Ahh yes. That’s right. Did it say anything else?”

Yami waited, knowing exactly what the message said.

_Would Kaiba answer truthfully?_

Eventually, his reply came.

“Well it did also say to message you as soon as possible. Which I have!” Kaiba's voice was almost desperate in the way he added on his last statement.

_So that’s bullshit._

Yami remained silent.

_Let’s see how desperate he really is._

A minute went by, followed by another one, where the static of the phone was the only indicator that neither of them had hung up. Still, Yami waited.

Eventually Kaiba broke the silence.

“Hello? Are you still there?”

“I’m here.”

“Then why didn’t you reply?” Kaiba sounded petulant. Yami could almost imagine the pout that was gracing his face. 

“I’m trying to figure out why you didn’t call me sooner.”

“I told you! I haven’t had -”

Yami stopped Kaiba in his tracks.

“Think carefully before you finish that lie. You’ve already kept me waiting a week so I wouldn’t recommend lying to me as well.” His voice had a threatening undertone that Yami knew from experience shut people up.

It worked.

He continued.

“Now, without lying, why didn’t you contact me sooner?”

Kaiba’s voice was quiet and almost shy when his response came.

“Well, I mean...you told me not to come back!”

 _Ah yes. There it was. The blaming-someone-else get out of jail free card._ Yami rolled his eyes. _Did he actually think this would work?_

“That’s true. However, I then gave you my number and told you to contact me. Your excuse is invalid. So once again, why didn't you contact me? And Kaiba, this is your last chance. If you lie to me again, or try to pin this on someone else, then you can say goodbye.”

There was another pause.

Yami knew, Kaiba was weighing up the options he had in his head, deciding what he really wanted.

He didn’t rush him.

Finally, Kaiba spoke.

“The message was from Pegasus. I just assumed that he was going to make another snide remark.”

Yami could sense, there was something else.

“And?” He prompted.

A huge sigh was heard from the receiver.

“And,” Kaiba began, sounding defeated. “I wasn’t sure what I wanted.”

Yami’s heart skipped a beat at this confession.

_So Kaiba had been struggling more than he thought._

“Do you know what you want now?”

“I’m calling you, aren’t I?” came the arrogant reply.

Yami didn’t like that.

“That’s true. However I have to make sure. You might have been sitting on the fence still - it sure sounds like it.”

“Fuck off.” Kaiba's temper was getting riled up.

_This is fun._

Smirking, trying to keep the amusement out of his voice, Yami ignored the last comment. “So what is it you want from me?”

“An appointment, obviously.”

Rolling his eyes, Yami gave him what he desired.

“If you want an appointment, then you have to book it like everyone else. Go to the shop and they’ll sort you out.”

A pause.

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“But...why the fuck would you give me your number if I can’t book it with you!?”

_And there’s the defence._

“Well you could have, _if_ you had contacted me sooner. As it stands, you kept me waiting for a week and I don’t like being kept waiting. Plus, your attitude is less than desirable. Think of this as your punishment. I would say see you soon, but that’s entirely up to you. Goodbye.”

With that, Yami hung up the phone without even waiting for a reply and entered the grocery store he had arrived at.

\-----------

Kaiba stared dumbstruck at his phone.

He couldn’t process what had happened.

He felt numb.

There were so many different emotions going around in his head, that he couldn’t focus on just one.

Terror.

Anger.

Shock.

Nervousness.

Humiliation.

He decided to do what he did best: channel anger.

Kaiba threw his phone, where it bounced off the bathroom wall and onto the tiled floor. A smash was heard, as it made contact with it.

He knew it had been a stupid idea, but right now Kaiba couldn't care less.

_All he fucking wanted was an appointment and instead he’s got Yami playing games with him. Well fuck him. He didn’t need Yami._

Kaiba got up and turned on the water in the sink. He splashed some onto his face, trying to calm himself down, before he did something else that he’d later regret.

_He didn’t want to go back to the shop. People would look - people would stare._

He looked up and studied his reflection.

His azure eyes looked back at him filled with an emotion Kaiba couldn’t quite make out. His brows were creased together in a frown and his hair was a mess from where he’d been unconsciously running his fingers through it. Water droplets made it look as though he was sweating, while some larger ones running down his cheeks made it look as though he’d been crying.

_He felt like it._

He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the emotions clouding his normally logical thoughts.

“Pull yourself together, you fucking emotional idiot.” Kaiba berated himself in the mirror.

Closely watching his reflection, his face morphed into the usual hardened mask. His eyes were no longer swimming in the depths of emotions, but instead were cold, empty orbs. He fixed his hair and, using a towel from the rack on the wall, patted his face dry.

He straightened his suit and walked over to where his phone had landed.

Kaiba bent over and picked up the shattered remains of it.

 _At least I have spares._ He mused, observing the cracked screen and chips in the casing. Thankfully it seems to still be working. _For now, it will do._

Kaiba pocketed it and left the bathroom.

\-------------

Kaiba was thankful for inconspicuous coats with high collars and black sunglasses as he stood on the street corner he’d lingered on last week.

It was rush hour.

The streets were lined with people leaving work, trying to get home as quickly as possible. The roads were the same.

It was a blessing, as no one focused on the figure hovering next to the hedges, staring at the shop opposite him.

Kaiba forced himself to steady his nerves and joined the crowd that were crossing the street.

Without stopping, he entered the shop.

\--------------

The interior seemed larger than it did last time, due to the natural daylight shining through the windows, rather than having the shop lit up by artificial lights.

Thankfully, there was no one around.

The last thing Kaiba wanted, was an audience.

He headed straight for the glass counter on the opposite end of the shop, figuring he would get Mokuba some more cards, so at least he’d have an excuse for being here, god forbid anyone would walk in.

While he looked at the cards, the door behind the counter opened and someone walked out. Kaiba looked up and his breath caught in his throat.

Yami.

_Isn’t it?_

As the man got closer, Kaiba narrowed his eyes, noticing very subtle differences between this person and Yami.

His eyes were rounder and the irises were a paler hue of violet, giving him a kinder look, compared to Yami’s piercing, intimidating stare. The cheeks were softer than the sharp, defined lines of Yami’s. He was also slightly shorter. All these features gave him a more innocent, naive aura rather than the dark, mysterious, sexy one that Yami emitted.

Kaiba could only come to one conclusion: this was Yami’s brother.

Yami’s sibling had reached the counter. He placed the mug he had been carrying onto a coaster, located next to the till and turned to look at Kaiba. He seemed to be hiding the fact he was surprised to see the CEO, but Kaiba noticed the subtle tell-tale signs. It was in the slight rise of the eyebrows and the widening of the eyes. However, when he spoke to Kaiba, there was no hesitation in his voice.

“Hello.” He greeted.

Kaiba noticed how his voice was welcoming and warm. It was in a higher pitch than Yami’s as well.

The tone didn't cause any kind of reaction in Kaiba, like Yami's did.  
It was pissing him off - he wanted Yami.  
"I want those three cards." He pointed at the cards in question.  
While the other man unlocked the cabinet and started to retrieve the cards, Kaiba asked for his main item.  
"I also want The Pharaoh's Treasure."

Not-Yami seemed to freeze for a second, his eyebrows rising up to his hairline and his mouth opened slightly.  
Clearly he didn't expect this to be asked of Kaiba. After all, why would he?  
Kaiba could feel his temper rising, caused by a mixture of irritation and humiliation.  
However, it was too late to back out now.  
He waited for Yami's brother to compose himself, which he did rather quickly, to Kaiba's relief.  
Handing him his cards, the man looked at his face .  
"When would you like to pick the game up?"  
"Now."  
To Kaiba's amusement, the shorter man didn't even break his composure.  
"I'm sorry but we don't have it available right now. The earliest time we have is Friday at 8:30pm."  
Kaiba seethed.  
He wanted to see Yami!  
"I want to see your manager."

"I'm sorry but he's not here right now. I can take a message if you'd like?"  
To Kaiba's surprise, the man never faltered under the intensity of his glare.  
He was definitely Yami's brother.  
"When will he be back?", he inquired, his voice nothing more than a hiss.  
"Tomorrow night." , was the calm reply. "Would you like me to pass a message on?" He repeated.  
Instead of replying Kaiba threw some money on the counter, grabbed the cards and left, slamming the door behind him.

\----------  
Balancing the grocery bags precariously on his knee and hip, Yami successfully got the key into the lock without dropping anything.  
It was a skill he was immensely proud of.  
He pushed the door open with his arm and grabbed a bag with his spare hand. Walking into the hallway, he shut the door behind him with his foot.  
As he put his keys into the bowl next to the door, he heard the faint sound of his tv, coming from the door to his right. He entered the room. Heading for the kitchen, he shouted in the general direction of the couches.  
"Feel free to help with groceries."

As he placed the bags onto the kitchen island, he heard movements from the living room and the tv had gone silent.

Yami had just started unpacking his shopping, when his brother entered the kitchen with a huge grin on his face.

He grabbed the other bag and looked at its contents.

“Did you get everything?”

Yami rolled his eyes and grinned, his eyes glinting with mischief.

“Why don’t you unpack it and find out?” He suggested cheekily.

His brother gave him a half-hearted glare, but did as he was told. He unpacked the beef, onions, carrots, and asparagus.

“Did you get the noodles?”

Yami slammed his hand onto the kitchen side.

“Shit!” He swore.

His brother looked up at him, a look of horror crossing his face.

“You forgot the noodles!? It’s not like we need them or anything. They’re only the most important part of the meal!”

Yami turned to face his sibling, crossing his arms and leaning back against the counter.

“You’re right. It’s a good thing I’m not that stupid then.” Yami smirked at the confusion, that crossed his twin’s face. It was quickly replaced by an annoyed smile.

“You fucker!”

Yami laughed, throwing his head back.

“I can’t believe you fell for that one, Yugi.” He brushed a tear from his eye trying to stifle the laughter that was still escaping his lips. “When have I ever fucked up cooking noodles?”

“Never. But you’re not even allowed to joke about it. Noodles are life.” Yugi responded, slightly put out at being the target of Yami’s joke.

“That’s very true. I’m sorry.” Yami responded, trying for a sincere smile but failing.

Yugi just responded by throwing the empty bag at Yami’s head, which he successfully caught.

Still chuckling, Yami turned back to the ingredients. “Pass me a knife, will you and that spoon.”

As Yami set to work preparing dinner, Yugi stood, leaning against the island. They chatted about what Yugi was watching, as well as how their days went. Yami asked, how the shop was.

“It’s fine. We had a steady stream of customers today. Plus Anzu had some fun at the studio.”

Yami laughed, knowing exactly which client Anzu had visiting her today and knowing, that he wouldn’t hear anything from her for the rest of the night.

“Kaiba Seto also popped in asking for you,” Yugi announced casually, carefully watching Yami’s reaction.

The taller twin felt his body tense, while simultaneously going weak. He busied himself with stirring the noodle soup he was making, feeling Yugi’s attention focused on him.

Internally, his stomach had jumped at Yugi’s words and he felt an immense amount of glee.

He was also pleasantly surprised at how quickly Kaiba had moved.

Yami had expected him to hold out for a few days at least, before caving.

 _Although Kaiba was known for getting what he wanted, according to the internet._ Yami smirked.

Trying to pretend, that he wasn’t bothered, Yami questioned Yugi about the visit.

“Did he want anything? Leave a message?”

Yugi noticed, that Yami was trying too hard to appear unaffected by the unexpected visitor at the shop. He played along.

“He wanted you, there and then. He was pretty pissed off actually, when I told him you weren’t in. He reminded me of a stereotypical soccer mom, as he started demanding to see the manager. It took everything I had, not to laugh in his face, if I’m being honest. Instead, I asked him, if he wanted to leave a message, but he just left. Bought some shitty cards though. _And_ he paid us almost double the cost for them. So please, feel free to get every billionaire fawning after you and then not be around when they come looking for you so that it pisses them off enough to leave huge bills without getting their change.”

Yami just rolled his eyes, zoning out, as Yugi changed the subject onto something Mai did this morning.

Instead, his mind was busy thinking of how best to play with Kaiba.

“Oh. This arrived for you by the way.” Yugi patted his arm with an envelope he’d just taken from out of his jean pocket, that was addressed to Yami at the studio.

Yami took it from him suddenly knowing exactly what he would do next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, a stray Yugi has appeared! And Pegasus has once again came to Kaiba's rescue...kind of!
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed this latest instalment. As always, comments and kudos are appreciated. And if you haven't already, check out our festive oneshot that is set just before this chapter.
> 
> Special thanks to PrettiUgli, as always, for their love, support, and editing skills. <3
> 
> Moodboard, like always, done by the magnificent Venom.  
> <3


	7. And these gold chains, Make me feel brave, baby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We hope you're all having a wonderful New Year.  
> So let's give our boys a wonderful start, shall we?
> 
> #TouchKaiba2K19 
> 
> (Thanks Crimson! <3)

The elevator doors pinged open to reveal his dark, empty office.

As Kaiba stepped out of the elevator, he walked over to the lightswitch and flicked the lights on. His eyes flinched, as the bright, artificial lighting lit up the room and blinded him for a moment.

He closed his eyes for a few seconds, before opening them again, blinking until they adjusted to the light. Kaiba walked over to the doors, that opened up to reveal the main part of his office. Unlocking them, he pulled them open and strode over to his desk, setting his take-away coffee onto the surface, next to a pile of folders that were awaiting his attention. He threw himself down into the supple leather of his desk chair with very little grace.

He was exhausted.

Looking at his watch, he read the time: it was 5:30am.

He didn’t have to be in until 7am, yet here he was.

Leaning down, the CEO planted his forehead onto the smooth, cold surface of his desk, letting out a shaky breath.

_Why the fuck was he in so early?!_

A rhetorical question.

Kaiba knew fine well, why he was in so early but he did not want to dwell on it.

However, that didn’t mean his secretary wouldn’t pry...

A startled yell brought Kaiba’s head up off of the desk and he focused his eyes on the stunned face of the young brunette that worked for him. Today, she wore her chocolate coloured hair up in a bun with tiny bits left hanging down, framing her face. Her almond shaped eyes were highlighted by the subtlest hint of mascara and black gel eyeliner. They were wide with shock and her petite mouth was agape. She was staring at him, stunned.

Kaiba couldn’t be bothered dealing with her, so he just planted his head back on the desk.

_Maybe he could just sleep here?_

_No._

_Bad idea._

“Mr Kaiba. I wasn’t aware I’d be seeing you this early. If I’d have known, I would have brought you a coffee. Although I can quickly go and make some now, if you’d like.” His secretary’s perky tone made Kaiba bristle.

 _It’s too early for cheery!_

Without raising his head or speaking a single word, Kaiba pointed to the styrofoam cup that was situated on the end of his desk.

“Oh. Okay then.” his secretary mumbled.

Silence.

Blissful silence.

Until…

“Why are you in so early, Mr Kaiba? You don’t seem yourself. Did you not sleep well?” 

Kaiba looked up to stare at Aimi - his secretary.

Did he not sleep well?

How could a simple question have such a complicated answer? 

\-------------

_Kaiba tossed and turned where he lay._

_No matter what position he was in, he couldn’t seem to get comfortable and switch off._

_His mind and body were restless, due to the stress of the events that had happened since that blasted conference. He wanted Yami so much, but instead, all he got was frustration, a rejection, and a meeting with the lesser twin._

_He turned again, lying in the fetal position on his left side. Kaiba looked at the alarm clock that was beside his bed._

_02:47_

_Groaning, he shut his eyes, trying to force himself to sleep._

_Eventually he managed to drift off into an unfruitful sleep…_

_…_

_… Only to wake just over an hour later with a rather noticeable erection._

_“Fuck.” he grumbled under his breath, turning over onto his back._

_Kaiba closed his eyes, hoping he could ignore the pulsing in his groin and go back to sleep._

_However, it was useless._

_The moment he’d closed his eyes, Yami’s face appeared with his usual smirk, but with eyes blown wide with lust._

_“Do it.” he ordered Kaiba. “Prove how much you want me and I might let you see me.”_

_His voice was velvety and seductive._

_How could Kaiba say no?_

_Pushing the tangled mess of blankets away from his legs, he grabbed his erection gently. Immediately, he hissed, as his cold hand touched the heated flesh of his dick._

_Kaiba waited a moment, trying to get used to the sensation. Then, he slowly started moving his hand up and down his shaft, while the pre-cum dribbling out of his slit acted as a lubricant, making his movements smoother._

_As he increased the pace, his back arched with pleasure and he started thrusting his hips to match the pace of his hand._

_He was so close._

_He could feel the beginnings of his orgasm starting to take hold of his body. His toes were curling and his body felt like he was on fire. Every tiny touch made shivers run through his whole body._

_Kaiba brought his spare hand down between his thighs, his legs spread open wider, and started to fondle his balls. At the first touch, he let out a moan and thrust up into the hand gripping his shaft._

_His legs spread even further apart._

_He needed more._

_Lost in the need for relief, he moved his hand away from his balls, bringing it down even lower. Past his perineum until his finger brushed against his entrance._

_“Ahhh.” Kaiba moaned as pleasure shot up his spine as he circled his rim. He could feel the muscle twitching and it only increased his pleasure, as he thought about what it would feel like with a finger in him._

_He pulled his finger away from his hole and brought it to his mouth. Kaiba sucked on it, imagining that it was Yami he was sucking on._

_“Mmmhmmm.” He groaned around his finger. Once he thought that it was wet enough, he lifted one knee up towards his chest and brought his hand back down._

_His now wet digit circled his rim once more._

_And he pushed down on it._

_“Shit!”_

_He came the moment his finger entered him, his other hand still rubbing his shaft. Semen shot from his slit, covering his stomach and chest. He kept squeezing the tip of his dick, until it became too sensitive for him._

_Spent and exhausted, he carefully removed his finger from his hole and lowered his knee back down onto the bed._

_The last time he’d came like that was when he’d masturbated in his office after the conference._

_Once the trembling of his body eased, he forced himself to get up to wash the cum off of his body._

_On shaky legs, he made his way to the bathroom and into the shower._

_That’s where he made his mistake._

_The shower not only cleaned him, but it also woke him up. When Kaiba realised what he’d just done, he panicked. Not only had he just jerked off at the thought of Yami, but he’d also fingered his ass._

_He’d never done that before and he never thought he would!_

**No fucking way**.

_He switched the shower off and quickly dried himself, before wandering back into his bedroom and pulling on the first set of lounge pants he could find._

_Looking at the clock, he realised he could get another couple of hours sleep._

_Kaiba climbed into bed and closed his eyes._

_It was no use._

_All he could do, was think about what he’d just done._

_What that simple act meant._

**There was just no way he wanted a cock up his ass, none at all!**.

**He was fucking Kaiba Seto!**

_After realising, he wasn’t going to get any sleep, he decided to get up._

_There was work that needed to be done, so he may as well get a head start on it._

\-----------

“Mr Kaiba?”

Aimi’s voice brought him back to the present. She was waiting for an answer, looking slightly concerned.

Kaiba cleared his throat.

“I slept fine. There’s work that needs my attention and I know for a fact that there’s some for you.” 

Aimi got the hint and bowed before backing out of the office, shutting the door behind her.

Annoyed and frustrated, Kaiba decided to pull the first file towards him.

 _It might not be fun, but it was a distraction,_ he thought, as he submerged himself in statistics and reports.

\-------------

A knock on the door interrupted his concentration on a customer feedback review.

“Enter.” Kaiba called out, not lifting his eyes away from the report.

His secretary walked in with a pile of letters.

 _Yay. More junk for me to sort through,_ he thought bitterly, as the post was placed in the correct tray.

She left without a word.

Kaiba finished reading the recommendations mentioned at the end of the file before putting it down.

He stood up and stretched, walking over to stand by his window.

The sun had risen and the streets were busy below, as people made their morning commutes.

Kaiba sometimes liked to imagine what other people were doing. It intrigued him and helped to ease his stress. After watching the citizens of Domino city go about their business for a few minutes, he turned away from the window and instead focused on the post that was awaiting his attention.

He picked it up and strode over to sit on the couch. After sinking into the soft cushions of the sofa, he flicked through the letters.

_Junk. Boring. Don’t care. Junk. Junk. Weird. Boring. Boring. Really couldn’t care. Junk._

Kaiba chucked the post onto the seat beside him and leaned his head onto the back of the couch, closing his eyes.

_He could really go to sleep right now._

Sighing, he opened his eyes once again. Unfortunately, there wasn’t time for sleeping. His head rolled to the side and he looked down at the pile of post. One envelope stood out from the rest.

It was an official, brown envelope like most of them were. Nothing was unusual about that. The way it was addressed, was what stood out. Instead of the usual boring printed address, it was neatly handwritten.

Reaching out, Kaiba grabbed it and looked closer.

It was small and very light, so it clearly didn’t have much in it. Curious, Kaiba opened it up and reached inside. He pulled out a business card. It was a simple design with a plain black background and golden, cursive letters engraved onto it.

_Kane Game_

_BDSM Studio_

Kaiba’s mouth went dry.

_Was he dreaming?_

He wasn’t.

 _What was this about?,_ he wondered.

Eyes wide, he turned the card over to see if there was anything else written on the back.

There was.

_Appointment: 6:30pm, 2nd January_

Kaiba’s heart felt like it could explode from his chest, it was beating that fast.

He read it again.

_2nd January._

_That was today!_

_That means that Yami wanted him tonight!_

Kaiba’s mind was racing with a million different thoughts and possible scenarios about what could happen.

_6:30pm._

_Did he have a meeting then?_

He didn’t know.

Jumping up from the couch, Kaiba rushed over to the door. Opening it, he poked his head out.

“Aimi!”, he called.

She looked up from her computer.

“Yes, sir?”

“Do I have any appointments later on this afternoon? Anything after 5pm?” His words were stumbling out of his mouth in his hurry to know.

“I’m not sure. One minute and I’ll check.”

Kaiba impatiently tapped his fingers on the door handle as he waited.

“There is a meeting at 5pm with -”

“I don’t care.” Kaiba cut across her. “Rearrange it. I’m leaving at 5pm.”

With that, he slammed the door shut.

He was now wide awake in anticipation of tonight. He’d just have to get through the rest of the day.

Kaiba groaned.

_This day is going to take forever._

_\----------_

Kaiba glanced at his watch.

It was 6:25pm.

Taking a shaky breath, he pushed open the doors to the game shop.

Kaiba strode towards the counter where the blonde woman - _Mai? -_ was reading a magazine. She looked up as he approached and smirked.

Without putting the magazine down, she addressed him first. “Can I help you?”

“Er,” Kaiba coughed, clearing his throat. “I-I was asked t-to come.” he stuttered out, blushing at, not only the implication of those words, but also the way in which he said them.

He never blushed and he never stuttered!

Kaiba watched as Mai’s shoulders seemed to shake from suppressed laughter. “You hope.” she muttered.

Kaiba stared.

“What?”

He didn’t understand what she meant.

She shook her head, restraining herself from breaking down into a fit of giggles in front of him.

“Nothing.” she replied. “Go on through. The Pharaoh is waiting for you.”

Kaiba felt his stomach tighten at that statement.

He headed for the door behind the counter and walked through it.

\----------

Yami heard the sound of a door shutting downstairs before timid footsteps started to slowly ascend.

Kaiba was here.

He felt a bubble of excitement rise from his stomach; he wasn’t sure that Kaiba would get the message on time or if he would chicken out instead.

No matter. He was here now and Yami was ready for him.

He watched, leaning against the wall opposite the staircase, as slowly but surely, Kaiba appeared. It wasn’t until he’d reached the top of the stairs that Yami took in his appearance.

His light brown hair was neatly combed and the dim light cast a slight halo around his crown. It fell softly across his forehead and into his angular eyes. Eyes that Yami knew were a deep azure, but were currently as dark and mysterious as the tomb below them.

Whether that was because of the lighting of the place, or because of lust, Yami didn’t know.

 _Maybe both?,_ he presumed.

The clothes the CEO wore could only be described as smart-casual. He was wearing a plum purple suit jacket with matching trousers, a high-collared emerald green shirt with the top two buttons undone, and a simple black belt. Yami couldn’t help but stare as the shirt exaggerated the length of his neck.

 _He would look really good in a collar._ He concluded.

Taking his eyes away from the neck, Yami narrowed them to study the way Kaiba was standing. His body language seemed to be suggesting that Kaiba was pretending to be confident. He held his head high with his chin up and his back straight. However, Yami was trained to know better.

Beneath all of this bravado, Yami knew that Kaiba was nervous. Possibly scared.

_This will be a fun one to navigate._

Yami smiled at Kaiba.

It was friendly and welcoming.

He gestured to the door next to him, saying without speaking:

_Follow me._

\-------------

As Kaiba reached the top of the stairs, he noticed Yami waiting for him.

_So this wasn’t some bullshit prank - this was real._

Kaiba wasn’t even aware that he’d been harbouring that thought, but now that it was gone, he felt giddy with excitement.

He stayed where he was, as he noticed Yami looking at him, observing him. Kaiba resisted the urge to squirm and shout, as he felt unnerved at the blatant attention. He lifted his head up and straightened his back.

_Yami didn’t need to know he was nervous._

Suddenly feeling scared, Kaiba decided to distract himself by taking in Yami’s appearance.

He was dressed rather casually today, not like the other times Kaiba had seen him. Instead of wearing a shirt, Yami was sporting a simple black sweater, that hid the lean muscles his shirts usually hugged. As Kaiba’s eyes lowered, he noticed, that black skinny jeans had replaced tailored trousers. Although, Kaiba couldn’t help but think he preferred this change. Black combat boots finished the look off.

Normally, Kaiba detested people who dressed like this. In his mind, it showed a lack of effort, but for some reason he seemed to like the look on Yami. He couldn’t figure out why. However, he did seem disappointed at the lack of a tight-fitting shirt.

As Kaiba continued to look, Yami raised one hand gesturing to a door.

 _Follow me,_ he seemed to be saying.

However, something glinted in the dim light, just as Yami raised a hand.

_Was he wearing a ring? Why was he wearing a ring!?_

Kaiba’s eyes narrowed.

_Was he married!? Engaged!? In a committed relationship of some sort!?_

_I bet it’s that bitch downstairs! They seem awfully close. Well, fuck her._

As Kaiba went on an internal rant, Yami disappeared inside of the room he’d gestured towards. Pulling himself out of his, quite frankly inappropriate rage, he followed.

_Yami wouldn’t have sent the invite if he didn’t want Kaiba himself._

That thought seemed to comfort him.

As Kaiba followed Yami, he suddenly realised, which room they were in.

His mouth went dry, eyes went dark, and his dick stirred in his trousers.

They were in the room with the cage...and Kaiba couldn’t stop staring.

The amount of times he’d fantasised about that cage over the past few weeks - being locked in it, unable to move, unable to do anything except wait and watch as Yami tortured him.

_Maybe now they would come true._

“Kaiba.”

He jumped, as that deep, velvety voice rang out through the air. He turned to see Yami sitting on one of the couches, watching him. Kaiba blushed, as he realised he’d been caught staring at the cage. However, instead of being ridiculed for his obvious lust, Yami merely gestured towards the other couch asking him to sit. Kaiba did so.

As he sat down, Kaiba sighed.

 _God, these seats are fucking comfy,_ he thought, closing his eyes. _They must have been expensive._ _How much did this man earn?_

Kaiba had never actually thought about prices, or even if he would have to pay until that moment.

_Who cares. I have plenty of money to go around._

A small movement beside him caught his attention. Kaiba opened his eyes to see Yami staring at him with a plate of biscuits held in his hand.

“Would you like one?” He offered.

Kaiba shook his head. He didn’t dare speak, fearing that his voice might give away his many emotions.

Yami nodded and placed the biscuits down on the table.

“What about a drink? We may be here for some time.”, he gestured towards a jug of ice water on the middle of the coffee table next to two glasses.

Once again, Kaiba shook his head.

“Very well.”, Yami said, pouring himself a glass. “Help yourself at any time.”

He took a sip of his own drink and Kaiba watched, entranced as his Adam’s apple bobbed when Yami swallowed the water.

Kaiba had to repress the moan that threatened to escape him, as he thought of Yami swallowing something else. He crossed his legs, trying to hide the very visible bulge that was fighting to escape the constraints of his trousers.

_They hadn’t even started speaking yet and already he was fucking hard. This man was like some sort of magician - it was the only fucking explanation!_

Yami placed his glass down on the table and leaned back into the couch. He crossed his legs and laid his arms down by his sides, staring at Kaiba.

“Do you know why I asked you to come here?”, he queried.

 _To fuck, right?_ Kaiba answered in his head. However, out loud he said nothing - he just kept staring.

Yami closed his eyes. He obviously seemed to be unhappy with Kaiba’s silence. He opened them again.

“I asked you here because there’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes.

“What?” he asked. This wasn’t what Kaiba expected.

Yami smiled.

“I’d like to discuss a contract.”

Kaiba’s mouth opened slightly and his eyebrows raised underneath his long bangs.

_A contract?_

_B-but that’s…_

He couldn’t speak. If he dared to make a sound it would probably end up in some sort of high-pitched groan. This time, Yami didn’t seem to care.

“Would you like to have one?”

_Like to have one? Does he mean...have a contract!?_

Kaiba weakly nodded.

Yami tilted his head to the side slightly, observing Kaiba.

 _It was rather endearing,_ he thought.

“Do you know what a contract is, in my line of work?” Yami asked.

_Does he know what it is!?_

_What the fuck did this guy take him for!? A fucking idiot!?_

_Of course he fucking knew!_

“I’m not some stupid idiot with only two brain cells to my name!”

Kaiba fumed, arousal and nerves forgotten for the time being. “I know to research shit before I decide to get involved with something. How the fuck do you think I could have made my fortune if I didn’t possess common sense? So yes, I know what a fucking contract is.”

Yami just sat and waited until Kaiba was done ranting. He seemed largely unaffected by his outburst and Kaiba wasn’t sure if he should be impressed or disappointed at the seemingly indifferent response he got.

“Are you done?”

Kaiba just glared in response. Yami took that as a yes.

“Very well. Let me make this clear to you -”

“You don’t have to make anything ‘clear to me’; I’m not a fucking child!” Kaiba cut across Yami, who in turn frowned at the CEO.

It made Kaiba falter slightly, making him regret his impulsive outburst.

Yami continued.

“I do not think you’re an idiot, nor do I think you wouldn’t have done any research. If I felt that was the case, then I would have stopped this meeting and told you to go home, research, and then get back to me. This isn’t something you should do on an impulse. However, that being said, this contract isn’t like ones you would make at work. On the surface, it is a business partnership, if you’d like. When you get down to it, it is more complex and personal. A contract in my line of work involves giving control over to someone else, or taking control of someone else. It involves trust, honesty, and self-awareness. You’d be surprised at how many clients I get that think they know everything they could about a contract but when it comes time to put one together, they back out because they’re unable to handle the facts.”

Kaiba listened, taking in every word Yami said. However, he couldn’t handle it anymore, his desperation made itself known.

“I’m not like others, and I don’t care what you say. I’m here because I want to be here, so just give me the fucking contract and let me sign it. I’ve had enough of reading boring shit today. I want to just get on with it.” he finished, knowing full well his last sentence made himself sound like a whiny, petulant child.

However, he did realise that he seemed to have struck a nerve with Yami.

The friendly face he’d had on all night had darkened. His eyes had narrowed into slits while his mouth was turned down in a frown and his forehead was creased.

Kaiba gulped.

_What did he say?_

“Just like that?”

“Huh?” Kaiba was confused.

“You’d sign anything I put in front of you, just like that?” Yami elaborated.

It was Kaiba’s turn to frown.

“Well, yes. I mean how much would a contract vary? There’s not much to discuss other than me giving permission to let you boss me about.” Something about Yami’s demeanor made Kaiba think that maybe, just maybe, he was wrong.

Yami sighed.

“You’d be surprised.” he began. “There are many different sections to a contract, each with their own variations. What suits one person will change from the next. Their contract will then differ from yet another person’s. Just like in business, everyone has their own personal wants and needs.”

He reached over and grabbed a file, that was next to him on the coffee table. Yami opened it up and took out multiple pieces of paper that were stapled together. He slid it over to Kaiba, who picked it up.

He stared at it, understanding dawning on him, that it was a breakdown of what could be included in the contract.

Yami continued speaking.

“That document explains all the different options that are open to you. If you’d like, you can read through it yourself and then ask any questions you have. Or if you’d prefer, I can explain them all to you?”

Kaiba couldn’t think.

He’d thought it would be simpler than this.

_What was he getting himself into?_

He looked up at Yami. There was no way he could read this - his brain just wasn’t processing what he was reading.

“C-could you…” Kaiba couldn’t finish his request.

He blushed, embarrassed.

He wasn’t used to being the one asking for help and he hated himself for it!

Yami gave him a reassuring smile and Kaiba couldn’t help but feel more at ease with it.

Yami got up and sat next to Kaiba so they could look at the document together.

“Okay. So this top section here gives you the overview of what responsibilities are expected of both parties. These aren’t put into the contract on their own, however they do fall under different sub-categories, and should be included in all contracts. Do you follow so far?”

Kaiba nodded.

Yami continued.

“First things first, we have the duration of the contract. This section involves when we can play, so to speak, and when the contract ends. Each option varies for both bits. As you can see, this first option states that no playing is allowed when the sub - that will be you - is at work. The moment your working hours are over, your time is mine for however I see fit to use it. As well as that, the option also states that the contract can go on until someone decides to cancel it. In contrast, if you look at this option, it says that you are mine to do with as I wish and the contract can only end with both parties in agreement.”

“Okay.” Kaiba stated, feeling slightly overwhelmed. “So that second one means that you can... _control_ me, even at work?”

“Yes, if you wanted that.”

Kaiba frowned.

“Why would someone want that?”

Yami laughed slightly, and Kaiba’s heart fluttered at the noise. It wasn’t a condescending, patronising laugh like the ones Kaiba usually does, but it was light and pleasant.

“Some people do. It gives them pleasure and a feeling of peace, knowing someone else is in control of them. In fact, some people give complete control over to someone else as well as all their possessions. Those people are nothing more than a thing to be used and controlled in the lines of their contract.”

Kaiba was shocked at that information. He looked at the document, scanning the options.

“But that’s not listed on here.” he stated.

Kaiba looked at Yami, who in turn, was looking at him.

“That’s because I have no interest in that. In fact, none of my doms have that option. If they decided they wanted to include that in a contract with one of their subs, then they will no longer work at this studio.” Yami explained.

“But isn’t that unfair?” Kaiba queried.

“No.” Yami replied. “At the end of the day, this is my studio and the doms who work here are under my employment. They are allowed their own subs and for the most part, I allow them to keep their own profits as a salary, as long as they give me an agreed amount for use of the facilities. Rent, so to speak. Since it is my business, I have set rules for my doms and I, personally, do not like the idea of gaining complete control of a sub that way. I understand that everyone has their own minds and if someone gives consent, then so be it. However, I don’t want it happening where my business will be linked to it.”

Kaiba just nodded and looked back at the document, head spinning with this new information. He looked at the next section:

_Money_

“What does this mean? Prices or…”

“The sub hands over any or all possessions that have monetary value, including any business stocks, or their only income consists of a set amount their dom decides to give them.” Yami explained simply.

Kaiba’s eyes went wide, fear enveloped his whole body as if a bucket of freezing cold water had been poured over him.

Yami, seeing this, quickly elaborated.

“You don’t have to, if you don’t want to. That’s option 1, see? I wouldn’t expect you to give me any control of your money. I don’t need it and I don’t want it. It’s just an option.”

Kaiba read the first option under the sub-heading.

_The property of the submissive remains unaffected by this contract._

His heart started to calm it’s frantic pace and he could breath a bit easier.

_Thank fuck for that. There was no way he’d go through with this if he had to hand his shit over. All of his property would belong to Mokuba some day. That’s who he built his empire for and that’s how it would stay._

Kaiba could feel Yami watching him intently.

He turned his head slightly and gave a half-smile.

 _I’m okay._ He was saying.

Yami seemed to get the message as he swiftly moved onto the next section -

_Job_

“This part is straightforward and I can already guess that there is only one option open to you.” he smirked as he looked at Kaiba.

“Nothing gets in the way of my work.” Kaiba responded, confirming Yami’s answer.

“That’s what I thought. Moving on, this next part is where it gets a bit more interesting.”

“Clothes?” Kaiba read out, brow furrowing. “You can’t control what I wear.”

Yami laughed.

“If you really don’t want me to, then no. But as you can see, there are many different situations in which I _could._ ”

Kaiba read the document.

_Option 1: Unless otherwise ordered, the submissive has to expose themself immediately in the master’s house._

_Option 2: Unless otherwise stated, the submissive has to put on the agreed attire immediately in the master’s house._

Option 3 was about wearing service clothes while option 4 stated that certain clothings were banned. Option 5 banned any clothes at bedtime.

Kaiba’s excitement rose again despite how overwhelmed he was beginning to feel. His head spun with all the possibilities. He imagined showing up to a board of executives meeting without wearing any underwear because he wasn’t allowed to. It would be his own dirty little secret.

Kaiba bit his lip before he could let out a groan.

_God, he loved that idea._

Yami chuckled lightly at the reaction Kaiba seemed to have.

“If you like that, take a look at the next bit.”

Kaiba did.

This time, he couldn’t stop the noises from escaping.

He let out one low, long moan.

_Sexual Rules_

“That’s what I thought.” Yami said, amusement lacing his words.

Kaiba felt embarrassed at his reaction to just reading the words, but part of him couldn’t bring himself to care. He was too turned on. His hands immediately went to his hair, combing his fingers through it to calm himself down. This was getting too much for him to cope.

“Would you like me to explain any of this? Some are self-explanatory.”

Kaiba shook his head.

Then he nodded.

_He wasn’t sure what he wanted._

_Except to cum._

_But even then, he wasn’t sure he really wanted that._

_Fuck he just wanted to be able to breath._

“Kaiba?” Yami’s voice was full of concern as he tried to get his attention.

Kaiba looked at him.

“Drink this.” he offered him a glass of water. Kaiba grabbed it with shaking hands and took a sip of water. The iciness of the water seemed to shock Kaiba back to his senses.

_He didn’t know why he was getting so worked up about it. It was just words._

_But it wasn’t._

_This was his life they were talking about._

“Let’s take a break.”, Yami suggested.

“No.” Kaiba refused, his voice only quivering slightly.

Yami narrowed his eyes at him and closely inspected his face.

It was flushed a bright crimson and there was sweat beading on his forehead. His pupils were blown wide with lust but they also held a large amount of uncertainty with a tiny amount of fear. On the other hand, his mouth was set in a very resolute line.

“We’re taking a break. We’ve been discussing this for almost an hour.” Yami stated, voice brooking no arguments.

Kaiba was stunned when he heard how long they’d been talking for.

_Had it really been that long?_

A quick glance down at his watch confirmed it.

_No wonder he was starting to feel affected by it all._

Yami stood up and Kaiba followed suit, admittedly less graceful than he would have liked.

“The bathroom is the door to the left as you step out of here.”, he announced.

Kaiba nodded mutely and headed for the door.

\---------

The bathroom was nothing like the rest of the studio and Kaiba was grateful for it. White tiles covered the walls and floor, while a modern, octagonal ceiling light ensured, no corner was left in shadow. Everything was stylishly furnished in a mix of black, white, and chrome. It was spacious with minimal decor, making Kaiba feel like he was at home.

He went over to the sink and splashed water on his face. Gripping the sides of the sink with both hands, he dared to look in the mirror situated above the sink. What he saw reflected back wasn’t what he was used to seeing.

A frightened face looked back at Kaiba. Despite the flush that covered his face and down his neck, he looked sick and worn out. Purple bags underneath his eyes showed his lack of sleep and his eyes gleamed with unshed tears.

_What was he doing here?_

Kaiba didn’t realise just how much it would entail.

He thought it would just be some kinky fucking but now… now it was more than that. There was just so much trust that Kaiba swore he would never give to someone else. He’d trusted people in the past and it had never worked out for him.

It only ever made things worse.

But at the same time, he wanted to give that trust to Yami. Something about the man seemed to invoke that in him.

_It scared him._

Kaiba went and sat on the toilet, his hands gripping his head.

_What the fuck should he do?_

He could always back out but then he felt as though that would be losing, despite the fact the only competition was himself. This was his own personal challenge.

_Yami wouldn’t judge him, would he?_

Kaiba thought about the way in which the other man had looked at him just before he left for the bathroom. It was with concern, but not with pity. Not with a condescending look, judging him for not being able to handle the conversation.

_No, Yami wouldn’t judge him._

_He’d understand and wish him good fortune._

As Kaiba came to that conclusion, he came to another one as well.

_He could trust Yami to take care of him._

_He wanted Yami to take care of him._

Taking a deep, calming breath, Kaiba got to his feet and headed to the door.

_He could do this._

\------------

Yami looked up from his phone, as the door opened and Kaiba walked in. He took in the appearance of his potential client. Still looking a bit worn down and out of place, but this time, Kaiba truly looked confident in what he was doing.

Yami felt the unease, that was twisted like a coil in his stomach, lessen.

He did nothing, except observe Kaiba, as the younger man sat back down on the couch, determination set into his face.

Yami finished replying to the text he’d received while Kaiba was in the bathroom, before switching his phone off and putting it away in his pocket. He looked at Kaiba who was resolutely staring at the floor.

“Are you okay?” he queried.

A nod was his only reply.

“Do you want to continue? We could always leave it for another day, if you still want to go through with this?” Yami kept his voice steady and soothing, understanding that this was overwhelming for all newcomers.

Kaiba looked up, eyes ablaze with a passion Yami had not yet seen before.

It was breathtaking and sent goosebumps rising up his arm.

_This is what he was after._

“No.” Came the stubborn reply. “I want to go through with this. I-I need this.”

That last sentence was so quiet that Yami barely heard it.

His breath caught in his throat at the implication those three words held.

_He would not let Kaiba down._

“Only if you’re sure?”

He had to be 100% certain that this was what Kaiba wanted.

“I’m sure.”

Yami nodded and moved to sit next to Kaiba once again.

It was Kaiba, who picked up the documents they had been looking over, making Yami smile at the sheer want that the action expressed. He gently took them from Kaiba’s outstretched hand and began discussing it again.

“Where were we?” Yami of course knew exactly where they’d gotten to, but it was his own way of gauging how much Kaiba had taken in towards the end, as well as seeing how much confidence he’d gained during his trip to the bathroom.

“Sexual Rules.” Kaiba replied with minimal stuttering and blushing.

_Excellent._

“That’s right. Do you need me to explain anything to you?”

Kaiba thought about it for a moment.

“Nothing that interests me enough to query.”

 _How very political._ Yami thought, amused.

“As long as you’re sure?”

“Well, there is one thing. How would you know if a sub had, you know, _done it?_ ” Kaiba asked, blushing again and rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

_He knew it - they all asked the same question._

“Orgasmed without the dom’s consent? That varies depending on the dom and the sub. Most subs follow the rules to begin with but if the dom knows that the sub might be inclined to break the rules, then they put in measures to stop them. Or they let them do it and then punish them after. Like I said, it varies.”

Yami watched Kaiba’s expressions, as he tried to figure out, what Yami had meant. He knew the moment Kaiba had came to some conclusions, as his eyes widened ever so slightly and he squirmed in his seat, trying to hide the bulge that was pressing up against the zipper of his trousers.

Pretending not to notice, he moved on.

“This next section is about how you behave in public, or when you are allowed out in public.”

“Wait, so I need your permission to go outside? That’s bullshit!” Kaiba exclaimed.

Yami felt frustration creeping up on him.

 _Does this guy ever listen before interrupting?,_ he silently fumed.

“If you’d let me finish.”, he responded. “As I was saying, this section allows the dom - me - to control when you go out, how you look when you’re out, and how you behave when you go out. Like everything, you decide the level of control I have over you. If you’re unhappy with any of this, you can just say. I’m here to take control of whatever you want, to the degree in which you want it. Understand?”

Kaiba just nodded, not daring to meet Yami’s eyes.

 _Good. You should feel humiliated at your outburst,_ Yami silently exclaimed.

“If you’re happy with that, then the next section is all about Punishments.”

Yami smirked, as Kaiba’s head shot up. He noticed his eyes dart towards the cage in the corner and a little groan made its way out of his lips.

He chuckled.

“You like that, huh?”

Kaiba sent him a glare but Yami just laughed it off.

“The cage can be a part of your punishments if you want it to be?”

The only answer he received was a sharp jerk of Kaiba’s head in a half nod.

“What punishments you receive, we’ll discuss later under what you like or what you don’t like, etc. This section just explains how far you’re willing to go when receiving a punishment and what you’re allowed to do during one. For example, this option just states, that you aren’t allowed to criticise the punishment that I deem fit for you, but you can make as much noise as you want, while this one states, that you’re not allowed to make any noise whatsoever.” Yami explained.

“Got it.” Kaiba responded after a moment’s pause. “What about this next section?”

Yami looked down at the next heading:

_Communication._

“This is about discussing stuff, that you may be struggling with, or stuff that may be upsetting you. Although the first option could be about anything that I query.”

“Anything?” Kaiba repeated, voice shaking slightly.

 _He’s nervous again,_ Yami noticed.

“Anything that I ask, you’ll have to answer honestly, so long as this is written into the contract. This could range from answering what your favourite colour is, to telling me your biggest phobia and why. If this bothers you, we don’t have to include it. However, may I remind you that honesty is a vital factor in making this work. I need to know if you’re happy with everything we’re doing, otherwise I can’t do my part correctly.”

“And what is your part exactly?” Kaiba asked, attitude lacing his words.

 _A defense mechanism._ Yami guessed.

“To make sure you’re safe and getting everything you want out of this partnership. My job is, to make you lose control and feel safe while enjoying it. If something is bothering you, or you don’t like something but you don’t say so, I can not do that efficiently. If you refuse to give me your complete honesty to even this basic part, then this discussion stops here.”

He watched, as Kaiba shifted in his seat, clearly uncomfortable at the thought of being honest with someone.

 _He must not be used to it,_ Yami mused.

Eventually, Kaiba spoke up.

“I guess I’ll have to do it then.” Kaiba agreed.

“A bit more enthusiasm won’t go amiss.” Yami stated dryly. 

Kaiba just shot him another glare.

_A blindfold would look very fetching on his face right now._

Ignoring the glare, Yami went on to the next part.

 _Almost done,_ he realised.

“This part is very self-explanatory. Basically I just require you to take general care and pride in your personal hygiene. Something I know you do anyway.”

“Who doesn’t?” Kaiba replied, wrinkling his nose at the thought.

Yami just laughed, feeling the same way.

“After that, we have _General Rules_. This is less to do with how you can lose control sexually, but how you can abide by my rules and morals as well as my own viewpoints. For some subs, it could even go as far as losing their own identity and gaining a new one that would please their master.” Yami explained.

Kaiba frowned at that.

“How can someone lose their identity?”

“Well, some people get rid of their own ideals and belief systems and adopt their doms. They start to think like their dom, behave like their dom, and adopt the same routines. Some doms even remove their subs names.”

“They what?” Kaiba balked.

“You heard me correctly. However, that is something that I don’t tolerate here so don’t worry, I won’t ask you to give up your name.” Yami joked.

He was pleased to hear a small chuckle come from Kaiba. “Good. I like it too much; it gets me into places without having to wait.” he smirked.

Yami threw his head back and laughed.

“Maybe I’ll just adopt it instead?”

“You could try.” Kaiba challenged, staring Yami down, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

“One day, maybe.” he replied, the same twinkle appearing in his own eyes.

 _Who knew the ruthless Kaiba Seto had a sense of humour?,_ he mused.

“Anyway, moving on.” Yami continued. “This next section is what I can do to protect you. The first option ensures, that I do no irreparable damage to you, that would leave you scarred or permanently marked, whereas the second option gives me the option to be able to do so. Other options include ensuring your safety from third parties as well as protecting your identity.”

“How could someone be permanently scarred?” Kaiba queried, confused.

“Being hit too hard with an extreme flogger can leave scars. Some doms tattoo their subs. There are loads of ways. It takes a good dom to know what will leave scars and what won’t.” Yami answered.

“And you’re a good dom?”

Yami looked at Kaiba thoughtfully. He seemed to be making light of the comment, but Yami could tell, that there was a sincerity about it, as if he needed the answer to truly let go.

“I’m the best.”, he replied, truthfully and with conviction.

Kaiba’s shoulders seemed to slump with the answer, as if the weight of the world had just been removed from them and he could now relax.

“What’s this bit?” he asked, quickly changing the subject.

“Ahh. This is the final bit. It’s all about finding your limits. What you like, what you don’t, and what you’re willing to try. It also includes your safeword.”

“Safeword?”

“Here, we use what we call the traffic light system.” Yami started to explain. “If you say something is green, it means that you are more than happy with the scenario. If you say something is amber, then you’re not too sure about it, but we can continue. However, if something is red then you’re not happy with it at all and in that situation you can use your safeword. Of course, you can use your safeword whenever you want to, but it’s generally in a red light scenario that it gets used. When you use your safeword, it means that no matter what, I have to stop and help you out. The scene ends immediately and your care becomes my number 1 priority.”

Kaiba sat and thought about it for a moment. Yami could see the wheels turning in his head as his mind processed it.

“So, what is the safeword?”

“Anything you want. As long as you can remember it in the heat of the moment.”

Kaiba nodded slowly.

“Do you have one in mind?”

Yami saw Kaiba blush again.

_He blushed so much - it was adorable._

“I mean, I do but..” Kaiba started to speak, but quickly stopped. 

“But?” Yami encouraged.

Kaiba took a deep breath.

“But... it’s slightly out there.”

Yami gave an encouraging smile.

“Whatever it is, I’m not here to judge. You’d laugh at some of the words people have used before.”

Kaiba stared at Yami for a moment before he muttered something Yami couldn’t quite make out.

“I didn’t hear that.”

Kaiba groaned.

“Blue Eyes White Dragon! My safe word, it’s Blue Eyes White Dragon.”

Yami held back the laughter that was bubbling to the surface.

_Of course Kaiba would go for his favourite duel monster._

“Very well, blue eyes it is.”, was all he said.

Kaiba gave no obvious response to Yami’s acceptance of his safe word. At the same time, Yami did notice the CEO smile slightly, clearly pleased, that Yami wasn’t judging him.

“What do you know about soft and hard limits?” Yami asked.

Kaiba shook his head, eyes narrowed in thought.

“Nothing. Are they what you want to do and what you don’t want to do?”

“Kind of. Soft limits are something you don’t want to try but under certain circumstances you would. Hard limits are something that you will never try. Illegal stuff, for example.” he explained.

“Oh. Got it.”

“Is there anything you know you want to place in either section?”

There was silence as Kaiba thought about it. Yami watched, as Kaiba rested his chin in his palm, lips pursed in concentration.

“Well,” he began. “There’s the usual stuff for the hard limits. But I don’t really know anything to make a decision.” 

“That’s understandable. A lot of people don’t. It’s something that’s constantly evolving as you discover more stuff so don’t worry about it. Is there anything you know you do want to try?”

Kaiba blushed once again and his hand went back to rubbing the back of his neck.

“Kinda.”, he mumbled.

Yami smiled at the open display of vulnerability Kaiba was given off.

“Well?” he encouraged.

“I like the idea of spanking.”, he admitted.

“A popular choice. What else?”

“I don’t know. Like I said, I don’t know many kinks.” Kaiba was clearly getting frustrated now. His voice was rising.

Yami needed to contain this.

“That’s fine. We’ll work it out as we go along.” he soothed. “Not a lot of people do. That’s why you have to trust me to know what I’m doing, as well as openly communicating with me.”

Kaiba just stared resolutely at the floor.

Yami checked the documents again and the notes he’d taken.

“Are there any more questions?” he asked.

Kaiba shook his head.

“Are you sure? Remember, I need you to know everything so it works.”

“I’m sure.” he snapped.

 _It’s a good thing you’re up for spanking because that attitude will lead to a lot,_ Yami privately fumed.

“Okay. I need you to look over this. Make any changes and suggestions you want. This will act as a temporary contract if you sign it, until we get an official one typed up.”

He handed Kaiba the notes that he had written, listing the ones Kaiba seemed up for as well as the options Yami figured Kaiba would be willing to try.

He leaned back into the couch cushions and waited for Kaiba to read it over, observing his every move.

 _Kaiba was quite expressive,_ Yami thought. _Not in an obvious way, but in the subtle ways._

Yami found, that he quite enjoyed it.

Eventually, Kaiba handed the document back over, not daring to meet Yami’s eyes.

“It’s fine.” he muttered.

As Yami took the documents back, he noticed, that Kaiba’s arousal, which had waned over the course of the discussion, had returned with a fervour.

He pretended not to notice.

“So everything is to your satisfaction?”

A nod.

“Excellent. If you want to do this, then sign here.” Yami pointed to the bottom of the page.

Kaiba hesitated for a moment but then he signed it with a flourish of his hand.

Yami smiled, pleased.

He took the pen off Kaiba and signed his own name on the document.

He was now Kaiba’s dominus.

Kaiba was now his sub.

“Right, now that all is sorted, it’s time to set some ground rules. For now, we will use those, that I use with all my subs. As this progresses, we can add more rules or take some away.

Firstly, you are to take care of yourself properly. This involves eating a healthy, balanced diet, as well as ensuring you drink plenty of water. The minimum amount being one and a half litres. Secondly, where possible, you ensure you get plenty of sleep. Next, I expect you to exercise everyday for at least half an hour. It doesn’t have to be in one go, but 10 minutes whenever you can spare it, three times a day will work. Finally, you call me one of two things: Pharaoh, or Your Majesty. No exceptions. If you break any of these rules, you will be punished. I expect a record to be kept of your food and water intake, along with your daily exercises. Do you have a problem with any of these? If you do, now is your chance to bring it up.” Yami watched as Kaiba took in all of this information.

He could see the slight frown on his face, clearly unhappy at being told what to do, but instead of kicking up a fuss, he just nodded.

“Well, now that that is out of the way, I’ll go and make a copy of this. That way we both can have a copy until I can type a clear one up. In the meantime, I want you to eat some of those biscuits and get a drink while I’m gone. You’re going to need it.”

On that note, Yami got up and left the room.

\--------------

Kaiba was left on his own to ponder on what had just happened.

_Had he really just signed that?_

Now he was left alone, the panic was beginning to set in again.

_Oh fuck! What had just happened? Was he an idiot!?_

He quickly glanced around, looking for a distraction. His eyes landed on the metal cage that once again held his attention.

There was something about it, that intrigued Kaiba, that made him want to be in it. He couldn’t figure out what, though.

He just kept staring, imagining what Yami might do to him in there.

_Maybe he’d lock him in it, while he sorted contracts out for other people? He’d force him to wear a gag so he could make no noise._

His dick throbbed with need.

For some unknown reason, Kaiba loved that idea.

He didn’t realise how much time had passed just thinking of all the possibilities until Yami walked back in, clutching a copy of the makeshift contract.

\-------------

Yami noticed, Kaiba was staring at the cage again.

 _He really does have a thing for the cage,_ he thought, storing the information in the back of his mind for later.

As he stood there, Yami also realised, the biscuits remained untouched as well as the water.

He frowned.

“Kaiba.” he called out.

The other man looked at him, waiting in anticipation.

“What’s this?” he gestured towards the refreshments laid out on the table.

Kaiba just shrugged.

“What’s what?”

“You haven’t done as I said. That’s what’s what.” Yami replied, voice going deeper and face darkening.

He knew, it was having its intended effect as Kaiba crossed his arms defensively over his chest and raised his chin in defiance.

“I didn’t want to eat. Or drink.” he spat out petulantly.

Yami put the document down and placed his hands on his hips, raising an eyebrow at the stubborn man.

“It wasn’t a request - it was a demand.”

Kaiba just stared.

“You can’t do that!”

Yami chuckled.

“Have you already forgotten what you put in your contract? From the moment you signed it, your time with me began. I can, and I will, tell you what to do when I want to. That includes telling you, what to eat and what to drink. And Kaiba, you went against my demands.”

Yami watched, as his subs eyes went wide as it dawned on him what that meant. He let out a tiny whimper.

Yami smirked, looking down at his sub.

“How about this?”, he started. “I won’t punish you, _if_ you do as I said, now?”

Kaiba said nothing.

Instead, he reached for the biscuit closest to him and started to eat it. After he’d finished eating, he reached for his glass of water and drank it. Yami said nothing - he just watched, pleased with Kaiba’s obedience.

Once he was done, Kaiba waited patiently for Yami to say something.

“Good boy.” he praised. He saw Kaiba preen at the pet name, sitting up straighter, eyes glowing brightly in the light of the room.

 _He likes praise,_ Yami mused, shocked at this information.

He continued.

“Now, in 15 minutes I expect you to be downstairs in my tomb. You remember the way don’t you?”

A nod.

“Good. You leave your clothes folded up neatly in a locker, just next to the stairs out there. 15 minutes - not one minute earlier or later. Do you understand?”

Kaiba gulped.

“Yes.” he answered, voice hoarse with arousal.

Yami narrowed his eyes.

“Yes, what?” he growled.

“Yes...your Majesty.”

“Good boy.”

With that, he turned and left the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Rafiki voice*  
> It is time.
> 
> We will meet you all in the Tomb, next Friday! ;)  
> Also, if you guys want a full version of his contract (and then some more), hit that subscription button and sit tight.
> 
> As always, thank to PrettiUgli for her continued love and support. We love you. <3


	8. It ain't you so please don't change, I can't be true to no one else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to the wonderfully, amazing - @xXxCrimsonDreamsxXx !!!  
> Hunni, you have been our most encouraging, enthusiastic supporter from the beginning. We love getting your comments through, and we can't wait to see what you say about this one. We love you! <3
> 
> However, we would also like to dedicate it to the rest of our fabulous readers. Every kudos, every kind word, means the world to us, and we feel truly blessed to see how well you all have taken to this story.
> 
> We love you all!
> 
> Now, sit back and enjoy. ;)
> 
> <3

The stone steps were harsh under his bare feet. The cold air bit into his exposed skin causing him to tremble all over. However despite the chill, Kaiba felt warm with excitement.

He wondered what would be waiting for him at the bottom.

_Maybe Yami was going to tie him up and spank him like in the porno?_

Kaiba shivered in anticipation.

As he descended the staircase and grew closer to the tomb, his steps started to falter, as uncertainty and doubt clouded his mind.

\---------------

_Six steps._

_What was he doing?_

_Five steps._

_Why was he doing this?_

_Four steps._

_How could he possibly want this?_

_Three steps._

_No. No. No!_

_Two steps._

_Stop this now!_

_One step._

_Turn back, you fucking idiot!_

_No steps._

_There’s still time._

\-------------

Kaiba hesitated at the door leading into the tomb. He remembered how he’d felt the last time he’d been in there - the only time he’d been in there.

Kaiba had felt panic.

Kaiba had felt frustrated.

Kaiba had felt desire.

Standing there, he felt all of those all over again. In fact, those feelings had never left him. They’d only increased in their intensity.

This is why he was here.

Yami would help him overcome his panic.

Yami would help him overcome his frustration.

Yami would help fulfil his desire.

Having calmed his nerves, Kaiba brought himself back to where he was: in front of the tomb door.

Now a fresh wave of panic surged within him - what does he do now?

_Does he knock?_

_Or does he wait for Yami?_

Kaiba was beginning to feel very self-conscious, standing naked in this strange place, not knowing what he was supposed to do. His hands moved so they were covering his penis. Whatever erection w’d had, had gone as his arousal was replaced with fear and insecurities.

“Cut it out.” He quietly reprimanded himself.

_He trusted Yami._

_He’d signed the fucking contract._

_He wanted this!_

Taking calming breaths he decided he would kneel by the door and wait for Yami, praying that he wasn’t making another mistake.

He didn’t want Yami to think that he was a failure.

A waste of space.

Someone who could only ever make mistakes.

“Fuck off!” He shut his eyes against the thoughts swirling around inside his head.

Kneeling, Kaiba attempted to clear his mind before he entered the tomb. However he kept his hands placed over his lap. His feet were going numb due to the cold.

_How long had it been?_

Since he was forced to strip, Kaiba no longer had a way of telling the time. It could have been ten minutes or thirty minutes but he would never know. Rather than panicking over his lost sense of time, he felt exhilarated from it.

Kaiba was used to keeping a strict eye on what time it was; he lived knowing what he was about to do every second of every day, planning it well in advance.

This was freedom for him.

Under his hands, his penis was starting to become erect again, as excitement started to take over.

_If this was what it was like just waiting, what would it be like when they were playing?_

Kaiba was just getting lost in his fantasies when the door abruptly opened. His mouth went dry and his eyes were clouded with lust, as his dick gave an appreciative twitch at the sight.

Yami stood in the doorway.

And he’d changed.

He was now wearing a gorgeous, long black robe, embroided with golden ornaments, looking like a Pharaoh. His arms were adroned with golden braceletts, around his neck hung delicate gold chains.

His hair had been spiked into, what Kaiba assumes, was his go to look. The one that made him seem wild and dangerous. A few blond bangs framed his face, which was currently turned down in a frown.

The perfectly trimmed eyebrows were creased together while his eyes - which were heavily lined with black kohl liner - were narrowed, staring at Kaiba.

As Kaiba watched, Yami’s face seemed to soften and some sort of understanding flitted across his eyes. Kaiba didn’t know what, but he was too turned on by Yami’s new look to think about anything else, or even concentrate on what was going on around him. As he watched, Yami’s plump, extremely likeable lips, were moving.

_Was he talking?_

Kaiba blinked, regaining control of his senses.

It was too late.

Yami grabbed him by the hair and pulled him into the tomb, throwing him on the floor, and slamming the door behind him.

Kaiba panicked.

_What had he done wrong?_

_Was he not supposed to have knelt at the door. Fuck, he should have knocked! He knew it. Stupid! What was Yami saying just before he was dragged in? Shit. He was probably berating him. Was he going to be punished now? Should he move? Should he kneel? Or should he just stay where he was on the floor? He doesn’t want to upset Yami further!_

His body was shaking where he lay, and his eyes were watering. Kaiba tried to fight back the unwanted tears - he was not weak!

Yami watched from where he stood, hovering over Kaiba’s trembling, naked form. He noticed tears forming in the corner of his eyes.

_Why would he…_

_Oh._

_He doesn’t know what to do._

Yami could feel his frown disappear and be replaced with a tiny smile, as his stomach twisted at the vulnerability Kaiba was trying hard not to let slip. This required a different approach.

The dom walked into the main part of his tomb, leaving the double doors wide open, and sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Kaiba. Here, now.”

Kaiba looked up at the mention of his name. He’s noticed Yami walk away, but he hadn’t dared watch, out of fear of being reprimanded. The command had came from the room that had provoked such emotions in him last time he’d been there.

Blinking away his tears he pushed himself up, and went to stand.

“No.” Yami’s voice echoed off the walls, his authority making Kaiba freeze his movements. “Crawl.”

Kaiba whimpered.

As he got on all fours, he felt himself blush. It was humiliating but he seemed to love it. He was completely erect now, and each movement caused him to feel even more aroused. The shame and self-doubt he was experiencing was slowly turning into something that electrified his senses and made him feel alive and restless.

Yami watched his new sub approach, enjoying the way his body was already trembling and flushed a rosey pink. He noticed how Kaiba’s penis swung each time he moved his body forward, already an angry shade of red, with beads of pre-cum leaking out of the slit.

Inside of his trousers, Yami could feel his own dick stirring at the sight. Closing his eyes, he quickly tried to quell the arousal he was experiencing. Feeling confident that it had passed for now, he opened his eyes to find Kaiba five feet in front of him, looking at the ground.

_He might not be so hard to train, after all._ Yami mused.

He spread his legs open, planting his feet as far apart as possible, pointing at the gap between them.

“Come here.” He beckoned, voice soft and gentle, but still carrying the same authority from before.

Kaiba hesitantly crawled between Yami’s spread legs, head still bowed, and sat back in his heels. He felt Yami’s hands touch his head, and flinched away from it.

 _Fucking great move, idiot!_ He reprimanded himself, tears springing to his eyes once more. _He was already fucking it up!_

Except, he hadn’t.

Yami’s hand reached out ever so gently, and slowly, fingertips barely grazing his hair. It was the lightest touch - Kaiba wanted more.

He groaned, fighting the urge to lean into the touch.

“It’s okay, you can lean into it.” Yami encouraged, voice sweet like honey, hand pressing more firmly into Kaiba’s hair, fingers twirling the long brunet strands.

Kaiba relaxed slightly and allowed it, slowly resting his head onto Yami’s thigh, enjoying the ministrations. He moaned as Yami’s fingers started scratching gently against his scalp, causing pleasure to shoot across his nerves and pre-cum to steadily leak from his tip.

“Good boy.” Yami hummed. Kaiba whimpered at the pet name, erection pulsing, but he didn’t know why. He shut his eyes at the feeling of Yami’s fingers combing through his hair, fingernails grazing the top of his scalp ever so slightly, and his voice drifting over him, like an addictive melody.

“You’re being so good already. I know it’s daunting the first time round, but don’t worry, I have you. Okay? We’re going to go slow and steady. I’m going to tease you first, get you used to my touch, and we’ll go from there. If you’re good, I might include some light spanking since you said you liked it. Hmm? Does that sound good? Remember, only if you’re good.”

Kaiba moaned as he processed his dom’s words.

_This was actually happening._

_He was going to get what he’d been fantasising about._

“Fuck.” He moaned as his dick throbbed with need, stomach tensing, and toes curling.

Yami pulled on Kaiba’s head, wrenching his head back. He gasped at the sensation, shocked at how his body seemed to love it, rather than hate it.

“Language.” The Pharaoh growled.

“Sorry. It won’t happen again.” Kaiba moaned out. The grip tightened in his hair, and Kaiba didn’t understand why.

“Ahh.” He exclaimed.

“I’m waiting for something.”

_Waiting for something? What was he waiting for!? He’d said sorry. He’d even said it wouldn’t happen again! Fuck this was confusing. There’s so many rules and he doesn’t know most of them. What the fuck could he want? Shit! His head was a mess, he couldn’t think beyond the Pharaoh's hand in his hair. Shit! That’s it!_

“Your majesty. I’m sorry, your majesty. Forgive me, please?” The sub begged, tears finally streaming down his cheeks, fear evident in his eyes at the thought of making yet another mistake.

Yami’s stomach twisted at the sight, relaxing his grip and soothing his hair.

_This is the real Seto Kaiba?_ He thought, trying to match the ruthless, perfectionist persona with the one begging for mercy, scared that he’s messed up.

A stray thought crossed Yami’s mind at that moment.

“Do you have any experience with BDSM, aside from watching a couple of pornos and now?” He watched closely as Kaiba blushed, and he turned his eyes away, not daring to meet the Dom’s eyes.

“Well, I, er...I mean, I’m busy. So I-I don’t exactly get time to...explore hobbies?” Kaiba stuttered out, cheeks a flaming red.

Yami felt a fondness growing towards the blushing man in front of him. He stroked the hair out of Kaiba’s face.

“That’s okay, baby boy. We’ll work through it together, okay? That’s why you trust me. Now, what experience do you have, sexually? It could help me figure out what you might like.”

Thinking it wasn’t possible, Yami watched in shock as Kaiba blushed even more.

“I don’t. I mean - it’s never interested me before…” Kaiba’s voice faltered off.

_What the fuck?_

**The Seto Kaiba** _, was literally a blushing virgin!?_

_Fuck, fuck, fuck!_

_How the fuck was he supposed to deal with this!?_

_Shit. Okay. He’s dealt with virgins before. None as powerful as Kaiba, or as sexy…_

_Wait. No, fuck off._

_Slow and steady. That’s all._

_He can do this._

“Sshh. Thank you for telling me, baby. This is what we’ll do: you’re going to crawl onto the bed, and I’m going to manoeuvre you into the position I want you in. Okay?”

Kaiba nodded.

Yami stood up, and turned towards the bed.

“Good. Now crawl to the middle of the bed.” He watched as Kaiba made his way onto the bed, and moved to the middle of it, making a mess of the sheets already.

Once he reached his designated spot, he turned to face Yami, once again unsure of what to do, hands automatically going to cover himself up.

“Good boy. I’m going into the next room to retrieve something. You wait there until I return. Make yourself comfortable but do not touch yourself.” He waited for Kaiba’s confirmation before he left the room.

\----------

Yami entered his storage area and took a few calming breaths.

He didn’t realise Kaiba would have such an effect on him.

Yami strode into the adjoining storage room and let out a huge sigh.

He knew Kaiba was going to be a difficult client, but he thought it would be because of his brash, arrogant attitude. Instead, Kaiba has so far been nothing but timid and obedient.

What Yami was truly worried about were the scars: mental and physical.

When Kaiba had leaned into Yami’s touch, The Pharaoh had noticed scars scattered across his scalp as he’d run his fingers through the subs hair. Upon closer inspection, Yami had seen multiple, faint white lines across his back and his torso. These scars - however Kaiba had got them - were no doubt going to play a huge role in successfully being able to train him. In fact, Yami would bet that the cause behind the scars were the reason the handsome, powerful man was still a virgin, despite all the lust-filled attention he receives. The most worrying thing to Yami was that, at the first sign of touch, the sub had flinched away, automatically.

A surge of anger erupted inside of Yami.

He knew what all of these signs meant - it wasn’t his first time dealing with abuse victims.

However, for some reason unbeknown to Yami, it infuriated him even more to know that Kaiba was the victim.

Taking deep, calming breaths, he tried to compose himself.

There was a very vulnerable, first time client in the next room, and the Dom had to remain calm and stable to ensure he did his job properly. Yami could do this - there wasn’t an option to fail.

Giving himself a couple of more minutes to make sure he was ready to face Kaiba again, Yami searched for the objects he required. After successfully locating them, he left to rejoin his new sub.

\----------

_Where’s he gone? How long has it been?_

Kaiba was beginning to feel himself panic as the time seemed to stretch on after Yami had left him. He started squirming on the bed, unsure of himself.

Patience wasn’t one of his virtues to begin with, but being in a strange situation made it even worse.

As he could feel the panic threatening to boil over, a shadow appeared st the doors, and Yami walked back in, arms full.

Kaiba groaned as he noticed what the Pharaoh was carrying, and his hips jerked forward of their own accord, lost to the intense arousal that was running through Kaiba’s veins.

_Fuck, he wanted to come so badly! They haven’t even began yet!_

Kaiba bit his lip and tried to still his hips as Yami placed the objects down on a table and turned to him.

He smiled and Kaiba’s heart warmed, the panic no more than a memory.

Yami approached him, one object left in his hand.

He climbed onto the bed in front of Kaiba and slowly brought his free hand up to caress his shoulder. Once again, Kaiba flinched at the initial contact, so Yami pulled away.

Blushing and feeling irritated with himself, the sub turned away.

_He can fucking do this! Get over this shit!_

A soothing voice rang through the air as Yami tried to calm Kaiba.

“Hey baby It’s okay. We do this at your pace and there’s nothing to be afraid or angry about, okay?”

Kaiba nodded, feeling flushed at the way Yami spoke to him. It was kind, and gentle and Kaiba craved more. He looked up from under his brunet fringe to see Yami staring down at him, a soft expression on his face.

 _He could really trust this man._ Kaiba realised, not for the first time, but in this moment he truly believed it with every fibre of his body. He smiled back at the Pharaoh.

“Good boy.” Kaiba felt a strong surge of pleasure coursing throughout his body at the compliment, and his dick twitched, leaking pre-cum everywhere.

_What the fuck? Where did that come from?_

He felt his forehead crease in confusion but when he looked at Yami, there was a small knowing smirk on his face, as if he knew the answers.

It frustrated him.

Before he could let his emotions control him again, his dom started speaking.

“To get you used to touch, I’m going to bind you with this rope. It’s hemp so it’s pretty soft, but it’s also sturdy. I’m going to manoeuvre you into the positions that I want, but you know the signals we use, and you have your safe word. Let’s start.”

When Yami first reached out to touch Kaiba, he could feel his body tense, wanting to run away. He was filled with excitement but an overwhelming urge to run.

_If he was tied up, he couldn’t leave._

_He wouldn’t be able to back out._

_Except he could._

_He had his signals._

_He had his safeword._

_Yami would respect them._

_He reminded him to use the, after all._

_He could do this._

Taking deep breaths, he relaxed his body.

It must have been obvious to Yami as he reached out again and started to move him, carefully. He slowly pushed him down onto the bed, and then he rolled him over onto his stomach, being careful not to trap Kaiba’s throbbing, leaking erection.

Once he was on his stomach, Kaiba felt Yami tug on his arms, pulling them behind him and then binding him, starting with his wrists, before wrapping the rope around his arms, until they were completely immobilised. Next, he did the same with his legs, bending his knees and bringing his feet up to rest next to his ass, efficiently tying them.

Now that he was all tied up, the sub felt restless.

He couldn’t stop thinking about scenarios in which this could go wrong.

_What if Yami doesn’t let him out?_

_What if this is a ploy to rob him?_

_What if he injures himself?_

_What if…?_

Yami’s hand came down to stroke his hair again, and Kaiba allowed it, hoping it would be something to focus on. The Pharaoh leaned down to whisper in his ear.

“You’re being so good for me. Such a good boy. Would you like a blindfold on? It might help you relax more.” he suggested.

_A blindfold?_

Kaiba moaned, nodding.

_He’d been fantasising about that for a while now!_

Yami got up and went to the table with all of his toys and equipment, before he returned with a soft, satin, purple blindfold. He climbed back onto the bed and the last thing Kaiba saw before everything went black, was Yami’s reassuring look.

Once he could no longer see, his other senses increased. He listened as Yami started praising him, telling him he can now let go. His sense of touch, however, was possibly the most heightened.

Kaiba could feel the strain in his muscles already beginning to take effect. All he could do was think about everything he was feeling. The soft touch of Yami’s hands, and the texture of the rope. He started squirming and the expensive cotton sheets underneath him gave him delicious friction against his pulsating dick…

Groaning and twitching, Kaiba felt the thick, white ropes of cum pool underneath him on the sheets. His hips thrusted into the bed below him as he rode out his orgasm smearing his fluids all over his penis. He kept rutting like that until he became oversensitive. Spent, he relaxed, feeling all of his tension leave him as he laid in the mess below him. Kaiba felt like he was floating on a cloud, his mind blissfully blank for the first time in his life.

It was a peace he’s sure he’ll get addicted to.

As he started coming round after his orgasm, he became aware of the delicate stroking of his hair, and the melodic sounds as Yami soothed him, grounding him after his high.

Kaiba stirred, leaning into the touch, rather than away from it.

\------------

As he opened his eyes again, he saw nothing.

For a short second, he panicked, but then he realised he was still wearing the blindfold.

Next to him on the bed sat Yami - he felt and heard him.

Apparently, he had started to talk to him in a calm and reassuring whisper, but Kaiba couldn’t focus enough to make out what he was saying.

“... may practice their learned profession…”

Kaiba felt dizzy and excited. What was happening around him?

It didn’t matter.

“… may influence or jeopardise the professional career…”

Suddenly, Kaiba realised that the warm pressure on his shoulder was in fact Yamis hand. The Pharaohs hand. He must have started to stroke his back when he felt Kaiba stirring.

“… the sub has to expose their self immediately…”

The soft voice was closer to his ear, speaking quietly and warmly.

“… wear the following clothes: undergarments, chavvy clothes …”

That was funny. Undergarments. Kaiba wasn’t wearing undergarments.

He was… Suddenly, he realised, that he was naked, lying in a big bed that was not his own. Slight panic started to well up inside him, as he realised, what the sticky, wet feeling at his stomach was. _Cum._

“... forbidden to orgasm without the permission…”

Wait. He know all those lines. This was his contract. Yami was reading his contract.

“… no claim to an orgasm at any time….”

And he was at the part about sexual rules. Rules he had just broken.

He had cum without permission. Without a claim to it.

Kaiba tensed further.

“… not have sexual contact with other men or women…”

Kaiba couldn’t listen anymore. Had he already fucked up? He had been in the tomb for the first time, and already managed to breach his freshly written contract. Shit.

He wanted to run. He wanted to get up and leave, hide from the shame he was suddenly feeling. But Yami wasn’t having any of it.

The Dom held on to him tightly, yet lovingly. He continued to stroke Kaiba’s shoulder, but he had stopped reading the contract.

By now, he was softly murmuring into the taller man’s ear.

“It’s fine, love. You can relax now. I’m here. My sweet little boy. So open, so vulnerable. Look at you, perfect. You’re going to be so good for me. See how you are reacting? So sensitive. My lovely sweet boy.”

The stream of loving, reassuring words didn’t stop, softly lulling Kaiba's mind to peace.

He was so tired.

But he couldn't sleep. Wouldn’t sleep.

He had waited so long to get here.

“Look how good you are for me. When you come here, you will be all mine. You will undress and think of me. My sweet little boy. I want to see what is mine. You are mine now. And even when you aren’t with me, you will think of me, won’t you, baby? Think about how good this feels.”

To enunciate his words, he started to stroke Kaiba in bigger, more obvious circles, making his presence known.

“Think about how you want me to touch you, just like I’m touching you right now. And when you aren’t around, when you are at work, you will be a good boy and earn money. But after that….” He trailed his hands down Kaiba’s torso, leaving him shivering. “.. you belong to me. Everything of you belongs to me now. And you will want to hear from me. You will be so grateful to hear from me…”

Kaiba was reduced to his primal needs.

_Yes. Yes he wanted this. He wanted to belong to him. He wanted to hear from his Pharaoh._

He wanted to be touched and held.

Shivering at the touch and the softly spoken words, it was easy to recognise from the outside that he again had started to relax.

Yami continued to praise him for a few more seconds, until… 

“Will you be a good boy and wait for me? Wait for me to get you something to play?”

Kaiba whimpered softly. Yes he would. He would wait hours if it meant getting more from his Pharaoh.

He listened intently, as Yami got up and walked through the room, without a doubt to the table he had laid his toys on.

Then, the bed dipped again.

He could feel the Pharaoh crawling over the mattress and his body reacted immediately, hairs standing on end on his arms. This was so new. So exciting. Kaiba couldn’t believe what he was doing.

_What was he actually doing?_

_He was naked, laying in his own cum, in front of a man he barely knew._

His mind started to spin again softly.

_No._

_He refused to fall back into this rabbit hole._

_Yami had been good to him, so he would be good for Yami._

Breathing deeply, Kaiba forced himself to relax.

He felt a hand on the small of his back.

“Such a good boy, relax for me. Breath. You are doing amazing. Such a nice boy.” The voice dripped like honey and was rapidly filling his senses.

Suddenly, he felt a very faint stroke.

A touch, a caress, but much softer than anything he knew.

Again, the light feeling grazed his skin, and Kaiba realised, that he was being teased with a feather.

“Is this good? Do you like this? Tell me what you think, dear.”

“Yes your majesty.” Was his voice sounding so pressed, because he was laying on his tummy? Or because he was tense, anticipating the soft caress? It didn’t matter. It was a nice tension.

The feather moved from his arms, and started to kiss the skin on his side. Suddenly, he felt the urge to jerk away, but in a different way. It wasn’t because he was scared. It wasn’t because he feared the sensation. It was…

Yami watched Kaiba with amusement and fascination. He would have never expected him to react so wonderfully, so sensitively to such a light teasing. And now, he was tensing, rolling around slightly, moving into the touch and away from it, until Yami realised… He was ticklish.

He wanted to use that new knowledge. He wanted to unbind the man, crawl on his lap, and sit down, gripping his sides, caressing his body, watching him twitch, and moan and get hard and eventually…

Fuck.

Fuck, this wasn’t good. Yami had to stop himself right here.

Where were those thoughts coming from? He was a professional, for fucks sake.

But Yami wanted to touch him so bad.

Was this even unprofessional?

Kaiba was new to this. He needed physical contact, right? He needed reassurance. Surely, he wouldn’t mind, since all his reactions were so… wonderful.

Yami had to touch him. He leaned down and started talking again.

“Are you excited, my love? Am I making you feel giddy? Do you want more? Do you want to be touched?” He had to make sure. 

“Yes. Yes your majesty.” The whimper sounded needy even in Kaiba’s own ears. But he didn’t care. He felt so good. He wanted to be touched. _Yami was so good to him. Could he get more of Yami?_

Just as the idea passed his mind, Yami grabbed his hands.

A jolt of excitement cursed through him. Had the Pharaoh heard his thoughts? Kaiba felt Yami unbind his rope.

_No._

_Wait._

_No. The rope was nice!_

He didn’t want to be relieved of the rope, but Yami was swift and didn’t ask.

The tingly sensation left at the places where the rope had cut into skin was soon replaced by a pleasant, warm feeling.

Yami was massaging him. Now it wasn’t so bad to have lost the rope.

Just as Kaiba wanted to drift off to the comfortable sensation, something cold and hard passed his flesh.

What?

Trying to concentrate, he followed the sensation along with Yami’s hands.

_A ring._

Yami had been wearing a golden ring - how could he have forgotten?

What did this ring mean? Was he married?

How shameful!

A married man shouldn’t entertain the low cravings of others.

Others like him.

Would Kaiba want Yami to stop, just because he had a wife? Did it matter?

Not if his touch felt like that.

But if he was married… He could never be his.

Kaiba felt a fit of rage deep in his stomach, not even knowing where it come from so suddenly. He tensed again.

Yami felt his body going stiff all over.

_How fucking cute._

He really was ticklish.

How unprofessional would it be… if he… he felt his resolve slipping, slightly grazing over the sensitive skin in front of him. Kaiba tensed more. What a delicious reaction!

Could he… Yami grabbed the flesh in front of him with his full hands, massaging softly Kaiba’s back. The sub moaned and let out tiny noises, no doubt having back pain from all the hours in front of computers. 

Yami frowned. He couldn’t reach the upper part of his shoulders sitting like this. But if he leaned a little bit to the front…

He felt his lower body grazing the heated flesh in front of him, and realised, how he instantly grew hard. Fuck.

He needed to get out of here. Now.

But what could he do? If he left again without an explanation…

An idea crossed his mind.

Composing himself, he spoke with a stammer in his voice no one but him could hear: “Such a good boy. Very very nice. You are amazing. I want to play some more with you. Will you lay on your stomach for me? Will you wait, just for a second? I’ll be back, dear, and I’ll bring treats for you. Put your hands out, and lay them flat next to your head. Now wait for me.”

He had pulled it off.

_Fucking shit, now he needed to bring as much distance between them as he could._

Yami fled into the adjoined room.

He went to the tiny freezer placed in the corner and hoped to god someone had replaced the ice.

He found a full bowl. Thank fuck! He had to ask in the group chat to whom he owed a coffee now.

He was about to turn around and leave, until he realised why he had come here in the first place. His robe was quite obviously bulging and he had to get rid of it. But he also needed an excuse for why he left…

Something to play. He needed something to play… And he found the candles. Grabbing them like an afterthought, he focused back on his problem. Staring down at himself, he frowned.

_Well here goes nothing…_

He pressed the bowl with the ice to his crotch, hissing angrily at himself.

But it worked, in mere seconds, his arousal was gone.

_I shouldn’t be the one aroused and in pain…._

But here he was.

Yami gathered his thoughts and went into the tomb again.

\----------

He found, that Kaiba had assumed the position he was told to.

The young man seemed to be excited and giddy, but also nervous.

Yami felt himself to be surprisingly fond of him already.

Before he reached the bed, he wanted to make his presence known.

“Hey lovely, how are you? Did you miss me? Mhh? Because I’m here. I’m here with you.” The Pharaoh sat down gently.

“Do you want to play? Do you feel like we should continue and play a little together, babe?”

Kaiba was still captivated with the way Yami spoke.

Before he met this man, he hadn’t even known there were things that could turn him on. With the Pharaoh at his side, he felt himself constantly on edge. Excitedly, he exclaimed: “Yes, your majesty.” If he could, he’d spend the whole night in this bed, surrounded by the comfortable sheets, the warm atmosphere and, most importantly, Yami.

“We will do some sensation play now. Does this sound exciting? Do you want to do this?” A heated hand made contact with his bare skin, rising goosebumps all around the careful caress.

Kaiba didn’t know what that was. But he didn’t care. He wanted this.

He wanted everything Yami would offer him.

Again, his stomach knotted tightly.What would the Pharaoh be ready to offer? If there was another person in his life, weren’t they bothered?

Would it be okay to ask?

He had to.

Stammering, he fell over his own words. But he wanted to sound coherent. He wanted the Pharaoh to take him serious.

“Your majesty, can I ask you something?”

“Yes.”

The room was silent but for the noise of a sparking lighter.

“Your ring, Pharaoh… what does it mean? Are you… married?”

It took him several hard breathes to get the question out.

“No.”

Silence.

Just when Kaiba thought Yami wouldn’t say anymore, he began to elaborate. Again, his hands found the warm skin sprawled out like a buffet and Yami started to draw circles over Kaiba’s skin, speaking in an amused, but friendly voice.

“This is a Ring of O. What do you know about it?”

Kaiba felt himself grow hot. He knew nothing and he hated it.

Unable to form the words, he just shook his head.

Thankfully, Yami understood.

“The Ring of O is a special ring, worn among BDSM practitioners. It is most common in Europe, but I like the sentiment, so I wear one, too. The name stems from a central female character in a novel called “Story of O _”_ , she was a sex slave and wore such a ring. It is meant to indicate where you place yourself in the community. Wearing it on the left hand, it means you are a top. If you wear it on the right hand, you classify as a bottom. A chain around the neck with the ring on it means switcher.”

While he spoke, Yami had worked up Kaiba’s skin until it was tinged pink, caused by the increased circulation. Happy with himself, he scratched lightly over the skin. Immediately, soft red lines started forming. Yami was enticed with the way Kaiba’s body reacted.

“...Pharaoh..?”

“Yeah?”

“May I ask another question?”

“Yes.”

“What is a switcher?”

Yami smiled to himself. So eager to learn. 

“A switch is someone who is sometimes a top and other times a bottom or , in the case of dominance and submission, sometimes the dominant part and other times the submissive. Sometimes, this is referred to as being versatile.“

“Oh. Okay.”

Kaiba seemed happy with the answer.

“Okay what?”

“Okay, I understand?” Now, Kaiba was confused. _Wasn’t it obvious?_

“Okay, _what?_ ” Yami practically growled next to him.

Shit, what had he done? Where did he go wrong?

Yami’s hand closed around his neck, careful, but in a gesture of dominance nonetheless.

“What do we say?”

Oh. Ooooooh.

“Okay, your majesty!”

The hand around his neck loosened.

“Good boy. Are you ready to play now?”

Kaiba felt himself become lightheaded.

“Yes, your majesty.”

“Very good.” The light sensation on his body was back, he was being caressed again. Kaiba happily leaned into the touch. “We are going to do a bit of sensation play. This is combined with a light sort of pain. I want you to relax into those sensations and welcome them. You are encouraged to make sounds, Seto. I want you to use the traffic light system, okay?”

Kaiba had tried to listen intently, but the second Yami mentioned “light pain”, his mind went into overdrive.

“Okay?”

“Yes, your majesty.” Whatever. Whatever it was what Yami had said, he’d deal with it.

“Good. Try to relax.”

Yami sat himself up.

He held a thick, white candle in his hands.

_White would be a good colour to start with._

He remembered being taught, the darker the candle, the hotter the wax. And to NEVER use glitter candles, because glitter was just tiny flakes of metal, and metal didn’t melt. But it did get hot enough to scorch skin.

He leaned up, trying to get as much distance between the candle and the man in front of him.

_The further away the candle, the colder the wax._

Slowly, he poured the first drops down.

Kaiba hissed. He bucked his back, trying to get closer to the sensation and away from it all at the same time. He felt a short, dull sting on his back, before the pain subsided quick.

_What was that?_

Another drop of wax landed on his back, this time thicker.

He groaned shamelessly, twitching on the soft sheets, inevitably rubbing himself in his by now almost dried up release.

Yami watched in amazement. Never would he have thought the beautiful man in front of him would be so responsive. He could feel his own body react, so he placed the ice bowl in his lap quickly. _Shit._

Lowering the candle tentatively, he picked up one of the ice cubes and softly started to move them over Kaiba’s back.

_Keep the ice moving, you wouldn’t want ice burns._

This time, the reaction was even stronger.

Kaiba moaned again, dragged out and raspy, while his body shook violently. Yami wasn’t sure he had ever seen anything as beautiful.

“Here we go, baby boy. Look at you, my perfect beauty. You are so responsive, Seto. So eager. Amazing. You are amazing. Tell me how you feel. I want to know what you want. Do you want more? Use the traffic light system. Come on, dear. You can do it, Seto.”

_Why did his name from Yamis mouth sound like praise?_

He could feel himself instantly harden again.

“Green.”

A hand was on his side, caressing his fevered skin.

“Very good, my love. Well done. You are being so good.”

Kaiba preened under the praise.

Another thick drop of wax fell on his skin, this time from a place closer to his body, and he felt the increase in temperature.

Kaiba whimpered happily. Never would he have thought he’d enjoy pain so much. 

“Green.”

Yami was surprised. He didn’t even have to ask for feedback this time.

Kaiba was indeed a fast learner.

“Well done. Let me know how you feel, babe, today, we are going at your pace. Get to know each other. Test your comfort.” This time, Yami stroked his hair.

This was addictive.

Everything about it made Kaiba crave for more.

The pain that was his to control and not his at the same time, that left his mind blissfully blank and his body comfortably achy.

The praise, that he had not heard in many years.

The touch, that he was so unaccustomed to feel.

He groaned merrily.

Again, there was a burning sensation on his back, and it took him a few moments to register if it felt hot or cold. He flinched, by now very aroused, and moved his hands away from his head.

Suddenly, a sharp pain flooded his body, temporarily frying every conscious connection he had between his brain and his dick.

Yami had slapped him across his ass, using his bare hand with remarkable strength.

Immediately, Kaiba released a loud, lust filled groan he would have never associated with himself if he had heard it in a clear state of mind.

His dick began throbbing and twitching underneath him, trapped by his body weight.

Could Yami do that again?

He waited for the next drop of wax or ice, and when it came, he actively moved his hands, humming into the burning sensation happily.

Smack.

There it was. Another sharp slap to his butt, that felt oh so good.

He moaned again, becoming less and less focused.

“Pharaoh.”

Yami stilled in the middle of the dripping process, accidentally spilling more wax than intended. When he jerked the candle upright, he realised that Kaiba was happily wiggling underneath him, deliberately moving his arms.

_Oh. Clever bastard._

So he liked the slaps and wanted more, going far enough to actively choose to ignore commands?

Interesting.

Maybe he was able to stand more pain than Yami had initially thought.

He watched, fascinated, as Kaiba managed to stick his ass out and grind his dick against the mattress at the same time.

_Horny little slut._

Yami caught himself at the thought, and felt embarrassed, realising how much it turned him on.

Two could play this game. If Kaiba wanted to be spanked, Yami would happily oblige.

When Kaiba called out another “green”, indicating he was fine with the level of pain and even wanted more, Yami decided to give him just that.

“Amazing my dear, so responsive, and such a clever, quick learner. You seem to be enjoying the spanking, am I right?”

Yami could see how a flush crept over Kaiba’s already heated skin. He knew it.

“Since you are such a good pet, why don’t we turn this up a notch? You look like you enjoy yourself, baby.”

Yami was caught off guard with Kaiba’s reaction. He had expected embarrassment, being caught enjoying his punishment, but he was very obviously smiling, nodding like an eager child.

_Fine then._

Yami got up to fetch his flogger, not missing out on delivering a particularly sharp blow to Kaiba’s ass before he got up. He caught himself smirking at the delicious reaction he had elicited.

Kaiba felt himself rut into the mattress, turned on beyond return.

A tiny voice in his mind was yelling at him what he was doing there, humping a bed like a pathetic teenage boy, but the waves of pleasure radiating from all over his body washed away any conscious thought. 

He only stopped to work himself up further, when he heard Yami return.

Forcing his hips to still, he lay in a pool of dried up cum and fresh and sticky precum with not a care in the world.

Yami sat himself on the bed, not far away from Kaiba.

“Come here, I want you to crawl over. Lay over my lap, pretty boy.”

Kaiba did as he was told, moving on shaky limbs with a painful erection.

He collapsed over Yami’s lap, happy to be so close to his Pharaoh. With a content sigh, he turned his head so he could have seen Yami, if there hadn’t been a blindfold.

He happily wiggled his ass, grinding down his dick into the soft fabric of the rope the Pharaoh was wearing.

Was he staining it? He didn’t care. He’d buy a new one. He’d happily buy new sheets, a new bed, even a new tomb, if this was the price for the feeling he encountered for the first time since he could consciously remember: bliss.

Yami felt Kaiba grind down on him and cursed internally.

What was he thinking, placing him over his lap?

Didn’t matter, it was too late now.

Without a second thought, he trailed his hand down over Kaiba’s ass, grabbing his genitals and shoving it between his legs, so the tails from the flogger couldn’t hurt unpleasantly.

Kaiba felt on fire. Yami had just touched his private parts, and not at all shyly. Fuck, this felt so good, he’d gladly cut off his arm for Yami to keep stroking him! The sub started to work his hips again, searching for friction and release, but it took longer now, since his last orgasm was not long ago. 

Yami watched for a short while, passively enjoying all the rubbing motions above his own dick. He was hard again, but he didn’t care anymore. Fuck, he needed to regain control.

“Count for me, my horny little boy”, he whispered, leaning over Kaiba’s body.

Then, he brought the flogger down.

“One.” It was more a loud breath than a word.

“Two.” A raspy moan, barely audible.

“Three.” Kaiba had to concentrate all his willpower to keep counting, his mind slipping to his dream about the Pharaoh. His Pharaoh.

“Four.” He could faintly feel Yami’s erection pressing back at him, only one thought in his mind. Release.

The fifth stroke of the flogger cracked, and instead of a number, Kaiba let out a strangled cry, and came for a second time in this bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the fun begins!
> 
> ;)


	9. Too busy lying, lying to myself, Lying to myself.

Kaiba couldn't focus. His mind was filled with the conversation he’d had with Yami this morning.

_“I’m sorry.”_

Yami had said sorry to him!

Kaiba still couldn't believe it.

The words kept swimming around in his head, like a hypnotic trance.

_“I’m sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.”_

They caused a tidal wave of mixed emotions inside Kaiba that he was struggling to keep at bay.

Confusion and surprise were the most notable ones.

“Seto?”

He looked over to where Mokuba was sat next to him, looking pointedly at him.

“Huh?”

Mokuba frowned, eyebrows creased together.

“The market research on the new discs?”

_What?_

_Oh._

“Erm, yes. The market research.” Kaiba fiddled with some paperwork, completely at a loss as to what was going on in the meeting. He found the file he needed and passed it to Mokuba, sitting back and getting lost in his thoughts, once more.

_“Pardoned…”_

He’d been pardoned for breaking the rules! That had never happened in his life before. Even the slightest mishap had caused unimaginable horror at Gozaburo’s request. Yet, here he was, his first day as a sub, having broken most of the rules with no punishment to face. Kaiba felt like he was walking on cloud nine.

A foot kicked his shin under the table and he looked over to see Mokuba looking at him. As he looked around the conference table, he realised that his brother wasn’t the only one. Kaiba looked back at Mokuba, eyes narrowed, feeling lost at sea.

_What were they talking about?_

“The price range?” Mokuba prompted.

“Oh. Here.” Kaiba passed the list over that he’d prepared last week.

As Mokuba and his heads of departments discussed the pricing strategy, Kaiba drowned in his thoughts again.

_“I’ll make it unforgettable.”_

Kaiba shivered as he remembered the Pharaoh’s final words. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to know what that meant, or if he _really_ wanted to know what it meant. On one hand, it was a clear threat of pain and suffering, but on the other hand, Kaiba couldn’t deny the threat aroused him

“Seto!” A yell brought him back to the conference table. Irritated, he looked over at Mokuba who was now looking worried. His little brother leaned in to whisper in his ear.

“Do you want to adjourn the meeting?”

Kaiba nodded.

He knew he wasn’t paying enough attention and he knew that the only thing he wanted to discuss was matters of a personal nature with his dom.

“Okay.” Mokuba sat back up and started gathering all of his files. “We’ll resume this meeting later. Thank you.”

Both Kaiba brothers remained where they were while all of the other members of the meeting gathered their things and left. Kaiba sat with his head in his hands, running his fingers through his hair. Mokuba just stared at his brother.

“What's going on, big bro?” His voice was laced with concern, eyes filled with worry.

Kaiba felt a stab of guilt run through him, knowing his lack of attention had caused this reaction in his little brother.

“Nothing, Mokuba. I'm fine.”, the CEO tried to brush it off, but the younger Kaiba wasn’t having any of it.

“Bullshit!”

Kaiba’s eyes went wide, shocked, as he heard his brother swear.

“You haven’t been fine all morning! Who was that on the phone? Whoever it was has riled you up big time. Now, you’ve got an hour to sort this out before we reconvene for the meeting, and Seto, if you don’t sort this out, let me know and I’ll take the lead.” With that, Mokuba left Kaiba rooted to his spot at the head of the conference table.

\----------------

“...and he ended up finishing the whole list.”

Yami was sat on his throne in the tomb, looking over his plans for his session tonight, while Yugi sat on the bed doing the inventory checklist.

“But he still fucked up.” Yugi responded.

Yami raised his head.

“Huh?”

“Kaiba. He still fucked up his rules.”

Yami creased his brows together.

“I mean, technically, yeah. But he did it because I didn’t make myself clear enough.”

Yugi laughed and shook his head, looking back down at his paperwork. His twin, meanwhile, bristled, feeling very self-conscious all of a sudden - a foreign feeling for him.

“Why are you laughing?” He demanded.

“You’re going soft!” Yugi replied, without so much as a glance in Yami’s direction.

“Fuck off! I'm not going soft!” All thoughts of preparing for his client tonight had left his mind. Instead, he gave his twin his full attention. Feeling the Pharaoh’s glare on the top of his head, Yugi looked up, the biggest grin on his face.

“Yes you are. Normally you would've chewed someone’s head off for breaking all of those rules, especially if they purposefully forgot your title. Instead you gave Kaiba a free pass and praise. So, in conclusion, you’re going soft. Just wait until Mai hears about this one!”

Yami looked horrified.

_Was he really going soft? No! He’s just being a good dom. It was his fault after all. He’d prove it._

“Shut the fuck up, Yugi! And Mai doesn’t hear about this because it’s not fucking true. I’ll prove it.”

“Oh yeah? How?”

Yami narrowed his eyes at the challenge.

“I’ll ring Kaiba right now.” He fished his phone out of his pocket and clicked dial on Kaiba’s name, hearing it ring.

And ring.

And ring.

_This user is not available right now. Please leave a message after the tone._

Growling, Yami hit end call.

He looked over at Yugi who was biting his lip, but seeing his brother’s disgruntled face, all the laughter he was holding back exploded out of him. He threw himself on his back, clutching his sides, as his body was taken over by fits of laughter.

Yami grabbed the closest object to him - which happened to be his shoe - and threw it at Yugi.

“Piss off and finish the inventory, you little shit.”

“Or what?” Yugi smirked. “You’ll forgive me?”

Yugi ducked as the other shoe was launched at his head and decided to finish the inventory upstairs in the lounge, leaving Yami to ponder over the thought of whether he was really going soft.

\---------------

Crawling onto his bed, Kaiba heaved a sigh of relief.

_He was fucking exhausted._

The meeting had taken twice as long as it should have, and then he had not one, but two, phone interviews afterwards to promote his new duel discs.

He was just glad to finally be home.

Kaiba got his phone out of his pocket to check the time, and realised he’d switched it off for the rest of the day, knowing that he’d be tempted to check it every five minutes in case Yami wanted him.

He switched it on and waited for it to load.

_1 missed call: The Pharaoh_

Dread creeped into Kaiba’s chest as understanding dawned on him.

_Fuck. What did he want? Was he in trouble now? Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!_

Tentatively, Kaiba clicked call back, bringing the phone up to his ear. He listened as it rang. And rang. And rang.

_This user is not available right now. Please leave a message after the tone._

Annoyed, Kaiba hit end call.

He threw the phone across the bed, mind racing with all the possible scenarios in which The Pharaoh would want to call him.

_Did he change his mind about letting the rule breaking slide?_

_Was he really in trouble?_

_Did he no longer want the contract?_

_Had he fucked up?_

_He’d fucked up._

_Fuck - he’s ruined the one good thing to happen to him in a long time._

_Fucking useless piece of shit!_

Grabbing a pillow, he brought it to his face and screamed into it.

It had been a long time since he’d felt so out of control and it scared him. Lying on his back, pillow pressed into his face, Kaiba contemplated his next move.

He had two options: sit there spiralling out of control, waiting for Yami to call him, or, ensure that his tasks are done so when Yami calls him, there will be absolutely no reason for him to shout.

Kaiba decided to go for option number two.

Feeling out of place and annoyed with his lack of control, Kaiba went about doing his tasks, barely passing each one.

Before he turned in for the night, he sent Yami his daily report, wondering how Yami would react to it.

\-------------

Yami in fact did react.

After he had failed to reach Kaiba earlier, he was disgruntled to see that he had a missed call.

_Shit._

_Should he call him back?_

_But it was late. Maybe a text._

When he opened the messenger app, he found new texts from Kaiba.

He’d sent him his report.

Yami hastily read through it. Kaiba had done everything he’d asked for, but that was it. Nothing more, no message, no greeting, nothing.

Yami felt residual frustration from his talk with Yugi earlier boil in him.

_Maybe he should call anyway and give him a piece of mind?_

_No. He was a responsible dom._

_Or was he going soft?_

He didn’t know anymore, but he was willing to find out.

He shot Kaiba a quick text.

“You did everything correctly.”

It wasn’t a question, but rather a statement, acknowledging the current situation. But it wasn’t praise either.

On the other side of the line, Kaiba stared at his phone, just as he wanted to go to bed.

The Pharaoh was texting him!

But he didn’t exactly sound happy. 

“Yes, your majesty.”

Kaiba nodded at himself. He could hardly go wrong with that.

He got up to brush his teeth, when the phone buzzed in his hand again.

“I failed to reach you today.”

Another sentence, that was merely a fact, but this one sounded like an accusation.

“Yes Pharaoh. I had the same problem.”

Kaiba felt clever with his answer. He was secretly glad he’d called back, because now he could use it as an argument.

“I’ve been working.”

“Me, too.”

“You are supposed to answer timely.”

Woah there, Kaiba thought. He tried his best to be available and it had gotten him into quite some problems at the conference.

Angrily, he shot back: “And none of this is supposed to affect my work.”

The line went quiet for a while.

_Fine._

He started to brush his teeth, looking at himself in the mirror.

He felt incredibly tired.

Buzzing again

“You’re right. I shouldn’t have said this.”

What? This sounded like the next apology.

So he was honest.

Yami apparently meant what he said, and he played fair.

Interesting.

Kaiba changed his approach drastically.

“I miss you.”

Silence for some minutes, Kaiba undressed and got his pajamas out.

“We just met.”

Kaiba raised his eyebrows. Ouch.

But another text came after in quick succession.

“But I miss you, too.”

He felt a strange fire curl through him.

His Pharaoh missed him, too.

That was good, wasn’t it?

Was he supposed to feel so attracted to him?

Kaiba felt his body stiffen.

“I want to see you again.”

Maybe, just maybe, if he’d meet Yami again, he’d manage to concentrate more on his work.

The reply came faster than the ones before.

“I’m sorry. I’m booked for the next few days, I have a client tomorrow and a weekend booking the days after.”

He was sorry.

The Pharaoh was sorry.

Again.

For not being able to see him.

Kaiba felt his heart jump.

But he had also said he’d meet up with other clients.

Why?

Of course, Kaiba wasn’t stupid. He knew, that Yami had other clients.

But why would he keep entertaining them?

Was it money?

Because Kaiba had that. Yami wouldn’t have to worry about money for a second if he was with him. Again, a strange heat swirled through him.

Was it power?

Because Yami could have power over him.

Fuck, Yami could have all the power he wanted, with Kaiba being the most successful businessman in Japan.

Was it, because he didn’t want to disappoint anyone?

Maybe he shouldn’t have become a top if that was what motivated him…

Kaiba felt himself spiral again.

This had to stop.

Yami wasn’t his.

He was Yami’s.

Just because he had made himself a property to be owned didn’t mean the same was in effect vice versa.But how could he make Yami understand that he wanted to see him?

“Okay. How can I see you, then?”

He hoped for the best.

\---------------

“So… why are you texting the whole damn time?”

Yami stared at Yugi, not really seeing his twin, because his mind was still focused on the phone in his hands.

“Sorry, what?”, he blinked a few times, feeling dumbstruck.

“Oh, so why is the wrong question, I see. Who are you texting the whole damn time?”

Yami dreaded to answer this question, because he knew his twin would be laughing at him. He tried to swiftly think of a smart answer, but his mind went blank.

_Thank you very much._

“Uuuhm.. Work.”

Yugi stared at him, unblinking. Slowly squinting his eyes, he asked full of disbelief: “You are texting for work?”

Yami watched him from the corner of his eyes, not daring to fully look at the smaller twin.

“Yup.”

“Yami?”

“Yup?”

“You are AT work.”

The Pharaoh closed his eyes, trying to remain calm, but growing increasingly frustrated. “You know this is a gross invasion of my personal space, right?”

He stared at Yugi, who had leaned himself forward to catch the name in the messenger app.

“You know… With the things we shared, I don’t really think there is personal space anymore. Or do I have to remind you of the Christmas party?”

Silence.

Yami didn’t really know what to say about this.

Yugi cleverly used the moment of Yami’s confusion and unease and leaned forward again. He gasped lightly at the well-known name.

“Why are you texting Kaiba? Are you apologising again?”

Hastily, Yami pressed the phone to his chest, huffing out the air that was left in his lungs. “Why are you reading my texts? And no, fuck off!” By now, he was seriously angry.

“You said it’s work, so I thought you wouldn’t mind if I checked.”

Yugi grinned cheekily, knowing how to press his brothers buttons for an answer. He’d gladly deal with Yami’s anger in exchange for information.

“You fucking piece of shit! Why don’t you go check the counter at the game shop or something?”

Yugi’s grin widened. “Because the game shop is closed. It’s late, Yami. Why don’t we go home, and you tell me everything about… this?” He gestured vaguely towards Yami’s chest, where he still clutched the phone.

Knowing full well that Yugi wasn’t really interested in “everything”, but only in the juicy details and not willing to put this discussion on a presentation table, Yami hissed as an answer.

“Fuck off.”

Now, Yugi was positively surprised. Yami didn’t normally react so strongly about his teasing. Most of the time, he’d happily spill every detail of his not-so-private life with Mai and him when they spend a night out. But today, he seemed to have struck a nerve. Interesting.

Changing his approach, Yugi turned around and started to busy himself with the studio’s cleaning. He watched Yami from the corner of his eye, who almost immediately returned to text furiously.

No. His brother was not furious. He was… excited?

Yugi caught him smiling dumbly at his phone.

Even more interesting!

He waited some more to make sure Yami had calmed down, until he asked him again.

Approaching his brother from behind, Yugi leaned over Yami’s shoulder, surprised to see, that the latter one was still in the same chat. Normally, he entertained multiple chat partners in one evening, having to care for different people, but he always wrapped it up fast, but not unpleasantry.

This seemed to be different, though.

Yugi gently notched his twin with his elbow, speaking softly.

“So… Seto Kaiba, hm?”

Immediately, Yami’s anger seemed to be back with full force.

Oh, this would be fun.

“Is this a burner phone? Or did he actually give you his private number?”

“Shut up.”

“Oh, so it’s actually his number. Interesting. You think he’ll be ashamed when the media finds out?”

“Fuck off. And they won’t.”

Yugi started to grin again.

“How can you be sure?”

Slowly turning his head around, Yami faced his brother with a hot fire burning in his eyes. “Because I promised to protect him.”

Yugi chuckled.

“That’s gay.”

Now spinning around fully, ready to yell at his twin, Yami caught himself in the last second, when he saw Yugi’s shit eating grin.

“I knew it! You like him.”

That was it.

Plain and simple.

Yami stood in front of his brother, opening and closing his mouth, trying to say something, _anything,_ that would diffuse the situation.

But there was no use.

Yugi was as perceptive as his brother, smiling wide, understanding his body language perfectly. “Wow”- he mumbled – “I thought you would at least try to tell me I’m wrong.” His face was positively radiating with mischief.

“Mai will love this.”

“Don’t you DARE tell Mai about this! She will never let me live this down!”

Yugi quirked an eyebrow.

“So, it’s true. You just confirmed it.”

“What?”

Yami knew, his chances to get out by playing dumb weren’t looking good, but it was worth a try.

“Confess or I’ll tell Mai.”

“You are a fucking piece of trash. Do you know that? Why am I even talking to you?”

Yugi grabbed his phone from his pocket.

“10.”

“Don’t you fucking dare!”

“9.”

“You fucking piece of shit!”

“8.”

“You are my brother, you scum! You should support me!”

“7.”

“Stop blackmailing me or I swear to god…”

Yugi just smiled. There was nothing Yami could do to him that he feared anymore, not after Christmas. When your brother is a dom...

“6.”

“What do you expect from this? Why would you-“

“5.”

“I can’t believe you are doing this to me, put that stupid phone down!”

“4.”

Yugi opened the chat with Mai. He visibly started to compose his message.

Yami just stared, rooted to his spot by panic.

“3.”

Yugi started to hover his thumb over the button that would send the text. 

“2.”

Still filled with panic and an unexplainable dread, Yami whispered softly.

“Don’t.”

“1.”

Just as Yugi was about to press down, Yami lunged at him.

“NO! WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW? I’LL TELL YOU. DON’T TELL MAI!”

For good measure, he grabbed Yugi’s phone and frantically turned around, shutting it off quickly.

“HEY!”

Yami turned back, staring angrily at his brother.

“YOU.”

Yugi flinched a millimeter but held his ground.

“You said you’d tell me! What is it? Is your word worth nothing?

You ARE getting soft!”

Wrinkling his nose, Yami kept up his stare.

Fuck.

They stood in silence for some seconds, both lost in their thoughts, both unsure how to continue. As another minute passed, Yami defiantly turned his head down, looking everywhere but into Yugi’s eyes, and handed him his phone.

“You’re right.”

Yugi’s smile returned, as he grabbed his phone and powered it back on.

“And?”

“And an imbecile.”

“And?”

“And an asshole.”

“And?”

“And by far not as sweet as everyone thinks.”

“And?”

…

“And I think I like Seto Kaiba.”

\------

Kaiba stood in front of his mirror, looking himself up and down.

He looked good, as far as he could tell, but was it good enough for Yami?

After yesterday, he didn’t want to mess up again.

When he tried to take a picture however, he realized that it was not working out. The light in his room was terrible, it was still dark outside, and his lamp held a bulb that was supposed to throw harsh light, so he’d not tire so fast, not a soft, warm glow.

But a soft, warm glow was exactly, what he was feeling and what he wanted to give back to Yami. Their chat yesterday was pleasant.

Yami tried his best to let him know he was appreciated, and Kaiba in turn allowed him to see more of himself than he had shown anyone previously. They had talked for quite a while, until Kaiba had to stop because his bed time was approaching.

Yami had praised him for taking care of himself.

He felt electrified.

Now he wanted to give Yami the glowing feeling back.

The chandeliers in the main hall should work, they were equipped with pleasant, warm light bulbs.

And there was a big, full length mirror, too.

Without a second thought, he walked downstairs and entered the main hall, positioning himself in front of the mirror.

_Should he strike a pose? Or would that look dumb?_

Kaiba remembered all the hours of photoshoot training, and decided on a “look-what-a-hot-man-I-am”-pose, with one hand softly tucking on his dress shirt’s collar, the phone in the other hand.

His lengthy body filled the whole screen, so he stepped back a few centimeters.

Perfect.

Boyishly grinning, Kaiba took the photo.

“Looking good.”

Kaiba felt his whole body clench at the sound of Mokuba’s voice.

Shit.

Not again. Please.

His brother had already caught him, when he sent his first picture to Yami, and he barely made it out alive. But now?

Shit.

Slowly turning, he decided to smile slightly at his brother.

“Thank you. It’s for –“

“Social media? Yeah. No. I asked them yesterday. They told me no one instructed you to take any photos.”

Fucking caught by his baby brother.

“Yeaaaaahhh… Noooooo…” Kaiba dragged his words in an uncharacteristic fashion, trying to buy time to find a suitable answer.

“Who is she?”

Wait. What?

“She?”

“There is no “she” behind this.” This time, Kaiba managed to sound utterly convincing, which wasn’t exactly a surprise, because he was not lying. He hated to lie to Mokuba, but this was easy. No lie.

However, he forgot, that Mokuba could continue to ask questions.

His younger brother quirked an eyebrow, grinning friendly.

“A he, then?”

Kaiba turned away, feeling himself heat up, but desperately trying to hide the flush that crept into his face.

“This is for social media. I thought, we might be able to improve our position on the market, if the brand seemed more likeable, and therefore attracted more loyal customers. All big companies do it now. They have a funny social media mascot and everything. But since my face is the mascot of this company, I thought, maybe people would like us more if I…”

He trailed off, unsure on what else to say. It was the first thing that came to his mind, since he had recently read an article about brand loyalty. But social media wasn’t his area, it was Mokuba’s, who was far better suited for a “social” job than his older brother.

But it didn’t matter. Immediately, the face of the younger Kaiba lit up.

“You are going to upload those? Selfies? In the mansion?”

Mokuba had dreamed about a less reclusive life for years. He didn’t care for whom his brother took the pictures. This sounded fun.

“Yeah… I… I wanted to try Twitter.”

“Photos go to Instagram.”

“Oh yeah, that too. Right.”

He felt himself squirm under the weight of his own lie.

Mokuba saw this and smirked.

“Why? You hate this.”

Kaiba felt his panic rise again. Shit.

“Ehrm… You… gotta do… whatever pleases the crowd. Right? Kiddo?”

The younger Kaiba laughed heartily. He hadn’t seen his older brother struggle so much since… maybe ever. He wasn’t exactly social, which made him as a crowd pleaser even more funny, but the whole exchange in itself was gold. Mokuba desperately wished he could have filmed it.

“Now you insult my intelligence, Seto.”

He smiled pleasantly and tilted his head.

“I’m _sure_ this is about social media and it has nothing to do with you texting all day. Or spontaneously canceling your appointments. Or leaving until late at night. And spacing out in conferences. Is this, why we got a chef, too? Because I love it.”

Kaiba felt dumbstruck.

He knew, his brother was sharp and perceptive. But… had he been so obvious?

Right in this moment he had all the luck in the world, and Isono hurried through the door. “I fear we have to go if we want to arrive on time.”

Kaiba nodded curtly, thanked his manservant and swiftly left the room, trying to get away as far and as fast as possible from Mokuba.

He heard his brothers laugh when he checked his phone again, grateful to find that Yami approved of his clothes.

The next few hours of the day passed in a hurry.

Aime had found a chef that suited his criteria, so from tomorrow on he wouldn’t have to worry about his meals anymore.

Very good. One less problem.

Yami seemed to be in a good mood, they chatted for most of the day, and Kaiba made an effort to answer timely and fit his dom in his schedule. That’s what he was supposed to do, right?

He wasn’t exactly interrupting his work if he texted whenever he was on the toilet or alone.

Of course, he was only doing it for the contract.

He refused to acknowledge that they mostly talked about their day to day life, and that his chat wasn’t connected to the contract at all.

It wasn’t because he genuinely liked Yami and wanted to chat with him.

Was it?

Could he spend some more time with him?

He wanted this so desperately, but Yami had told him yesterday that there was no time.

He had to catch up on a mountain of work that he had postponed over the last few days anyway.

_But he wanted to see the Pharaoh!_

Would it be inappropriate to ask if they could meet again? Maybe in the late evening? But he had just seen him.

Fuck it.

Fuck everything.

He paid him and paid him well. He’d better make time.

Not daring to phrase it like that, he timidly asked Yami if he would have time this evening. The answer was quick, but unpleasant.

“You know I have a client.”

Shit. That was curt.

Was he reading into it, or did it sound cold?

Had he done something wrong?

Was Yami already tired of him?

Oh god, what if he had already fucked up?

Was he too demanding?

His Pharaoh obviously preferred the company of someone else.

Was it Pegasus?

What would he have to do to get him back?

Kaiba felt himself spiraling out of control, his fear clutching his intestines.

His phone buzzed again.

“But you haven’t signed your official contract with the list of soft and hard limits. Wanna come over and do that after my client leaves? It’s not much time, though.”

Oh, thank god.

Kaiba closed his eyes gratefully.

Apparently, he hadn’t fucked up yet.

Yami was still willing to meet up with him.

And even better! Meet up with him today!

\-----

It was late in the evening and Kaiba was tired. He’d have to be in bed at midnight if he wanted to get his 5 hours of sleep, and it was already 10:30 PM.

Maybe, Yami would make an exception if he was keeping him up.

Kaiba had finished his other chores early so he could fall into bed as soon as he arrived at home.

On his phone blinked a message, and he clicked on it excitedly, hoping it would be Yami, telling him to come in, but what he found was a text from Mokuba.

“Chef will only show up tomorrow, but I’m hungry TODAY. Please bring food from your date 😉”

Exasperated, Kaiba put his phone down, not bothering to answer. Puberty had changed his sweet baby brother. Now, he was cheekier than what was good for him.

But his mood improved considerably, when he got the text from the Pharaoh he was waiting for.

“Come in.”

On shaky legs, Kaiba climbed out of the car and headed over to the studio.

Yami greeted him at the front door, looking sharp as always, and Kaiba could feel himself starting to get nervous. He led him through the now deserted game shop.

The silence, combined with the darkness and the children’s games around him summoned an unpleasant feeling, reminding Kaiba of thoughts he had left in the past.

As soon as Yami unlocked the door to the studio however, his mood changed again, this time for the better. Kaiba readily climbed up the stairs, trying not to stare at the handsome man in front of him and failing miserably.

Yami noticed this and walked extra slow, swinging his hips slightly more than it would have been necessary. He smiled to himself, but felt immediately guilty when he realized what he was doing.

Teasing wasn’t necessary, they wouldn’t play.

Yami felt a slight twinge in his guts, but he refused to acknowledge it.

He wasn’t going to feel guilty now! They had played just two days ago.

When they reached the top of the stairs, Kaiba was guided into the room with the sofa and the table.

And of course…

The cage.

Kaiba tried his best not to look at it.

He knew he’d be reduced to a begging inch of himself when he slipped now.

He wasn’t here to play.

This was just a contract signing.

Yami had stated that there was no time.

“Do you want something to drink? A tea? Water?”

“Yes please.” Kaiba’s throat felt suddenly extremely dry.

_Was it impolite to take an offer of servings from a dom?_

_Would it be impolite to decline?_

“Of what?”

Now he felt like an idiot.

“Tea please. I… still need to drink a glass… of non-alcoholic… beverages.”

It felt incredibly weird to say that to him in person.

Kaiba half expected for Yami to quirk an eyebrow and leave, but he just stood there, smiled down at him, and his face softened around the edges.

Acting on an impulse, Yami stretched out his hand, ruffled Kaiba’s hair, and whispered: “Good boy.”

He turned around and hurried out of the room.

Kaiba had chosen tea over water. Good. It would take a while to cool down.

So he couldn’t immediately leave after signing without being impolite.

Entering the kitchen, Yami felt himself smile softly.

“Why are you so happy?”

He snapped up his head and found Mai sitting on the sofa in front of the small kitchen, looking at him curiously.

Shit.

Why was she still here?

He loved his best friend dearly, but he didn’t need her right now.

Looking away quickly, he mumbled: “It’s nothing.”

But that only encouraged the blonde.

“Nothing, hm? Have you had any nice… adventures lately? Yugi hinted at something, but was unusually quiet… You haven’t told me about your New Year’s Eve yet.”

_Yugi, that fucking piece of garbage._

“Meh. It was nothing, honestly. Everyone was drunk and disgusting.”

Mai raised both eyebrows, before she wiggled them suggestively.

“Since when are you repulsed by drunk and disgusting?”

Yami had to chuckle.

“Fair question, have you been sober? Because if the answer is anything but a strong “yes”, then who are you to judge?” She smiled at him, mischief in her eyes.

Yami was grateful that the water he’d put on the stove was boiling now.

He prepared a mug with tea, and made a face over his shoulder, sticking his tongue out and laughing.

“You’re so sweet for making me tea.”

“It’s not for you.”

“You don’t even like this tea.”

“No, but I hope my guest does.”

Mai sat up as if a lighting had struck her.

She shrieked: “GUEST?”

Yami reeled back, cursing himself.

“Client.”

Mai got up and stepped next to him, leaning in uncomfortably close.

“We are closed up for tonight, you liar. What guest?”

Turning around, Yami tried to leave the room in a rush.

“It’s just a contract signing. Fuck off.”

He threw the door closed for good measure and hurried back to Kaiba.

Yami found his sub lost in his thoughts.

He wanted to ask what he was thinking about, but he’d probably not understand anything. Instead, he put the mug down with a merry clinking noise.

Kaiba’s eyes shot up, and upon seeing Yami’s handsome face in front of him, he smiled gently.

_This expression was new._

Yami had seen him in quite a lot of emotional states now, but soft smiling was a first. He had to restrain himself from touching him again.

This was not a scene.

He had no business being so physical.

Presenting the mug, Yami sat himself down.

He wouldn’t get up to grab the contract yet, not if Kaiba wouldn’t ask.

Trying his best to convince himself it was only because he needed to hear that Kaiba really wanted it, Yami forced himself to relax.

They had talked all day, constantly sending messages.

Why was it so hard to talk now?

He tried to choose the easy road.

“How are you getting along with the rules and responsibilities?”

Kaiba smiled softly, glad that Yami had started to talk.

“Good, Pharaoh. I like them. They are… useful.”

Yami turned to look at Kaiba. That was an unexpected answer.

He had felt like the sub was struggling.

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Another silence settled between them, this time comfortable.

Yami registered Kaiba checking out the cage constantly.

“You like it, don’t you?”

“Huh?” Kaiba turned around, his eyes slightly clouded.

Damn. This boy was sensitive. Yami wasn’t sure, but it looked like he was already slipping into his headspace. Amazing.

“Huh what?” Yami asked, his voice softer than he had intended it to be.

“Sorry.” - Kaiba’s eyes cleared up a bit - “Sorry, Pharaoh.”

Yami felt himself pleasantly tingling, the way he did when a session was ahead that promised to be fun. But there was no session ahead right now. Kaiba would sign the contract and leave, and it was his own fault, because he told him he had no time.

Shit.

Yami tried to get back on track.

“The cage. You like the cage, don’t you?”

Kaiba nodded slowly.

Yes. Yes he “liked” the cage.

If the Pharaoh wanted to understate, that was on him.

Yami smiled, and despite that he had just told himself to quit it, he reached out to caress Kaiba’s cheek.

The other man leaned in willingly.

That was new, too.

Right in that moment, Yugi burst through the door.

“Here you are!”

He gaped first at his brother and secondly at the man he was touching.

“Oh.”

Yami turned to him furiously.

“Oh? What are you doing here?”

Yugi stepped from one foot to the other, clearly uncomfortable in front of Kaiba, but nonetheless entertained.

“I was looking for you.”

“Well here I am!”, Yami basically hissed at his brother.

Kaiba’s confusion kept rising. Why were they glaring at each other?

Had he done something wrong? Was anyone in trouble because of him?

He got up, ready to run.

“I’m leaving. I didn’t mean to -”

“Sit.”

Yami coldly pointed to the place next to him on the sofa.

“You’re going nowhere before you sign the contract.”

Yugi moved in the doorframe.

“Wow, Pharaoh. Way to force someone into something.”

Yami turned to his brother again and Kaiba felt the temperature drop several degrees. He was suddenly extremely happy to not be at the receiving end of that stare. He’d do whatever he could to stay under Yami’s radar when he was in that mood. So he quickly sat back down.

Yugi wasn’t sure, but he supposed he’d be dead soon.

If Yami wouldn’t kill him on the spot, he’d probably use the spare key and enter his apartment at night to make it look like an incident.

So he did the only thing he could think of.

“MAAAAIIIII!!”

Yami sprung to his feet.

“YOU LITTLE SHIT!”

Yugi ran down the hallway, ducking into the employees lounge where Mai sat, confused at what was unfolding in front of her.

Yugi flat out threw himself at her, hiding behind her back.

Yami wouldn’t touch her, he had honour.

Mai looked around and stared first at Yugi, who quivered behind her, and then at Yami, who stood in front of her, fuming.

“What the hell is going on?”

“HE’S TRYING TO KILL ME, PROTECT ME!”, Yugi shrieked behind her.

“YOU FUCKING COWARD GET OUT AND FACE WHAT YOU DESERVE YOU FUCKING BITCH!”, Yami yelled from her other side.

Meanwhile, Kaiba sat in the contract room, trying to decide if he should hide or run. This wasn’t what he had intended to get into.

He heard intense yelling from the nearby room. If he wanted to run, he’d have to pass the employers lounge. And Yami had specifically told him to sit.

So he was going to sit stubbornly, watching the world burn around him.

This was fine, right? He wasn’t involved. At least not directly.

He was just going to keep quiet, even if it meant he had to sleep on the sofa. Maybe, he could catch up to work… He got his phone out, and started to read one of the reports he hadn’t touched yet, expertly blocking out the yelling.

One room down the hall, Mai was still trying to figure out, what was happening. Yami had rounded her, causing Yugi to crawl even deeper between her and the sofa.

She had seen the twins fight.

She even had heard them yelling at each other.

But this intensity was new.

Resolutely, she grabbed both of them.

“I’m NOT a dance pole, stop rotating around me and spill what this shit is about!” She looked at both of them with an intensity, that almost matched Yami’s.

Yugi was grateful the two doms had never gotten into a fight.

They might have burned the house down.

Yami relaxed when Mai had grabbed him.

That was, why Yugi had run to her.

Any other person trying to contain the Pharaohs wrath through touch would have been burned alive, but she somehow managed to ground him.

“Look at me, babe. What’s going on? Is this about your guest?”

Suddenly, Yami’s sunkissed skin turned ashen.

_He had forgotten about his guest._

Would Kaiba still be there?

He dropped the fight with Yugi, he could get to that tiny bastard later.

“Sorry Mai. Gotta go.”

Turning around swiftly, he left the room. Yami heard Yugi loudly exhaling behind him.

The Pharaoh stepped through the still open door.

He immediately spotted Kaiba, firmly seated on the spot he had pointed out. He seemed to have been reading something on his phone, but he had dropped it as soon as Yami had entered.

“You’re still here.”

Again, one of those statements, that was a question at the same time.

“Yes your majesty. I was told to sit.”

Yami’s hands began to tingle and he stepped forward hastily to cup Kaiba’s face, filled with pride about his good boy.

But the second he stepped towards the other man, Kaiba flinched.

Fuck.

He had ruined it.

He had ruined everything he had built the last few days.

Yami felt blind anger towards Yugi rise up in him.

It was his fault.

Kaiba had leaned into his touch willingly just minutes ago, but now he was flinching again, because he had seen the outburst of anger Yugi had caused.

Yugi had said he’d gotten soft.

But Yugi was wrong.

He had just matched his behaviour to the fragile man he dealt with, like the professional he was taught to be. But now, he had ruined it. Immediately, Yami pulled his hands back towards himself.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to see me like that. That was unprofessional. I’m sorry.”

Kaiba slowly shook his head.

He wasn’t even meant to be here.

This wasn’t an appointment.

“It’s fine, Pharaoh.”

Yami stretched out his hands again, careful now, knowing that his heart couldn’t take it, if Kaiba would flinch again.

And he didn’t. He allowed Yami to cup his face.

The Pharaoh stepped closer, keeping Kaiba’s head in his hands, guiding it carefully to rest against his stomach.

He stroked the taller man’s head carefully, feeling calmer with each second. This was fine.

He would make this work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aww. The boys are feeling things! :3
> 
> Thanks for your support guys, like always.
> 
> <3


	10. Baby I know I'm guilty in this game of love, I've fallen back not showing all my cards.

09.02. - 19:38 

**Pharaoh:** How are you? How was your weekend? You seemed quiet.

 **Seto:** I’m good, thank you, your Majesty. It was busy, your Majesty, with work. How about you, your Majesty?

 **Pharaoh:** I'm sorry you had to work on the weekend, dear. Has there been a lot to catch up to? My weekend was filled with work, too, but I'd lie if I said it wasn't fun.

 **Seto:** Thank you, your Majesty. Not that much, your majesty. Although I had a meeting with a CEO from the USA who could only make it on Saturday, your Majesty. I’m sure it was fun, your Majesty.

 **Pharaoh:** … Are you mocking me?

 **Seto:** No, your Majesty! I wouldn’t dream of it, your Majesty. Why would you think that, your Majesty?

 **Pharaoh:** I mean… You honouring the title is cute and all… but you don't have to put it after every sentence.

 **Seto:** So...what you’re saying is, your Majesty, that I’m using your title...too much? How is that even possible, your Majesty?

 **Pharaoh:** Yes. Kinda. It gets annoying at some point? You can use it. You should use it. But not like a period.

 **Seto:** You mean, not after every sentence, your Majesty?

 **Pharaoh:** Yes, dear.

 **Seto:** Okay, your Majesty. I’ll try.

 **Pharaoh:** Very good. Such a good boy.

 **Seto:** Thank you, your Majesty. I’m trying.

 **Pharaoh:** So when will I see you again, you hard working little boy?

 **Seto:** Whenever you can fit me in, your Majesty.

 **Pharaoh:** … I'll try to make room for you.

 **Seto:** Thank you, your Majesty. Just let me know a date and a time, and I’ll be there.

\-----------------------------------------------

“Come here.”

Kaiba looked up from his thighs, the only sight he’d been allowed the last few minutes.

The Pharaoh had entered the playroom again, and by the sound of it, he had brought over a lot of different toys. Was he going to use them all?

Or did he just want to be thoroughly prepared?

Kaiba ached to find out, but he had been told to steady his gaze on his legs, kneeling on the warm stone floor.

Weird. Had his memory been playing tricks on him?

He thought it had been cold the last time. 

But it was probably heated now.

After all, this time he had a long planned appointment.

The Pharaoh had been gone for a few days, busy with work and a conference he attended, but now, his majesty was back, and solely focused on him.

Kaiba shivered happily, completely lost in his thoughts.

“COME HERE.”

Yami’s voice boomed through the room, making it known that the man who produced it was used to giving commands.

Kaiba jerked awake from his daydream and immediately started to crawl towards the throne, he wasn’t dumb enough to let the Pharaoh wait.

When he reached Yami’s knees, he sat back on his heels.

Kaiba lifted his head just enough to indicate his interest, not daring to look in the Pharaoh’s eyes.

“Have you been a good boy the last week? Did you miss me?”

Yami leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees and smiled down on Kaiba. Even though he’d never admit it when Yugi was around, he had missed him.

_More than a plaything._

Yami tried to suppress his own thoughts.

Unprofessional. That’s unprofessional.

“Yes your majesty. I kept thinking about you so much.”

Kaiba bowed his head a bit more, feeling a flush creep up his cheeks.

Did he sound pathetic?

But Yami wanted, no, demanded honesty.

And this was honest.

Kaiba had thought about him night and day.

“Good boy.”

Yami’s hand came down on the top of his head and ruffled lightly through the thick, soft hair.

Kaiba felt his whole body twitch happily. Would he ever get used to those reactions whenever the Pharaoh praised him? He had dealt a whole week with interactions on screen. Hearing the words now, spoken softly in this deep, comforting voice enlarged their effect immensely.

He could feel his stomach tighten and tensed on nothing but the words.

The subs dick bobbed happily.

Kaiba still felt ashamed, kneeling on the stone floor, stark naked, and so obviously aroused at nothing.

But the pharaoh had never given him any reason to feel discontent at this state, he supported it, so Kaiba swallowed the sensitive feeling and tried to relax.

Yami cupped his face and raised it, so that their eyes locked.

His face was soft, almost loving.

_Good._

Kaiba felt himself smile up into the warm touch, and when he saw Yami smiling back, his heart did somersaults in his chest.

_He was excited. That’s it. He was just excited._

Kaiba tried to steady his body and his thoughts, feeling a soft tremble grip his heart as well as his legs.

_Just excited._

“You’ve been a good boy, haven’t you? Sending me all those lovely texts, and pictures and reports.”

Yami was still caught in the loving gaze between his palms, feeling himself smile. He had been such a good sub. Trying his best to fulfill his tasks. Sure, sometimes he had made a mistake, forgot something, or had to be corrected, but he was so willing, so eager to learn and to please, that Yami was flooded with an immense sense of pride whenever he thought about him.

Kaiba smiled blissfully up, feeling that his timid smile turning into a full blown grin. When had he grinned like that the last time? Yesterday. But without Yami? He didn’t even know.

“That’s on you to decide, your majesty.”

Yami gripped him tighter, moving his thumbs in soft circles over Kaiba’s cheeks, feeling elated.

_Very good answer._

He really was a fast learner.

“Clever boy. I think you deserve a reward.”

Kaiba sat up straighter at those words.

A reward?

What would he get?

Could he choose?

Would Yami surprise him?

Yami noticed the reaction immediately and felt pleased.

Kaiba was so reactive, so sensitive.

He had other businessmen before.

Most of them were pent up from the anger and frustration a high ranking position brought with them. They wanted to be controlled as an exchange to the control they had to dish out day after day.

That was similar.

But most of them differed in their attitude.

They wanted to be punished for their harshness, for their sometimes cruel decisions. Wanted to be hit for everyone they had to fire, asked for pain to forget. Yami didn’t like this.

They didn’t really come for control, they came to order him around so he’d be the “bad one” punishing them. So that they wouldn’t have to deal with the guilt. They looked for salvation, but not in bliss but in pain, and he was a tool.

He didn’t take this type of client often, and when he did, his heart wasn’t in it. He had feared that with Kaiba as well.

But he was different.

He wanted to be praised. He wanted to please, to forget, but through feelings, not through numbness.

That, Yami would provide happily.

Many subs tried to violate their rules, because they thought, punishment would be more fun. But the pharaoh wasn’t stupid.

If they were after pain, he’d give them pain as a reward, but not as punishment. He wanted for them to behave, so why would he support their assumptions that it would be fun?

He often bored them out. Had them write sentences over and over again, until they felt like their head would explode. Writing at work. Writing in their free time. That was a true punishment for someone looking for pain.

Kaiba was different.

He was interested in pain, yes, but he was also very obviously afraid of it. So it wouldn’t work as a reward that easily. Apparently, he wasn’t here to forget, but to remember, whatever it was, that he was working through.

He wanted control.

Yami absentmindedly tugged at the collar around his neck, smiling to himself when he heard the soft gasp.

Kaiba felt the soft pulling sensation on his neck, as Yami tugged the collar forward. He moaned to himself. This was nice.

He liked the collar a lot, it gave him the feeling of belonging.

Yami owned him, and even though he sometimes struggled with this thought in his everyday life, here, at his feet, he felt it in every bone of his body.

“Whatever you deem appropriate, your majesty.”

He leaned his head further into the soft caresses.

_Could Yami continue touching him like that? Just… lightly stroking his skin? That would feel good. It would be a nice reward._

Yami got up, carefully circling Kaiba, and went over to the bed.

He sat himself down and called the sub over.

The Pharaoh watched intently, as Kaiba crawled over and got up.

“Very good, Seto, you are doing so well.”

Using his first name was always working like a charm.

Yami observed his eyes immediately darken, clouded with a soft, but lustful expression.

When Kaiba had been laid down onto his stomach, Yami got up and gathered the rope from the table.

“You like rope, don’t you?”

He wanted to make sure that the reward would be enjoyable.

The subs voice was already hoarse, dripping with excitement and lust.

“Yes your majesty.”

_Very good._

Yami sat himself down on the small of Kaiba’s back, and gathered his arms, binding them quick and skillfully up along his spine.

_His body was so soft, so flexible. And oh, so responsive._

Yami was used to older clientele.

Not many people at Kaiba’s age could afford his services, so it was a welcome change and a pleasant surprise.

Sitting so close to the warm, handsome body underneath him started to affect him.

Shit. Not that again. Yami had hoped it had gotten better. But no such luck.

_Don’t think about it. Don’t think about it._

_DON’T THINK ABOUT IT._

Yami had tried to diminish the risk of getting an erection as much as possible, touching himself before the session. But it was getting more and more problematic and he felt himself harden steadily.

Hopping off Kaiba’s back, he placed himself next to the sub.

“Tell me if you like this, dear.”

Yami touched the back of his knees carefully, sliding his palms up until they were halfway on Kaiba’s thighs, and pressed them open with little effort.

Kaiba felt the cool air tickle his balls as his limbs moved over to expose the sensitive flesh.

He felt Yami reach down between his legs and place something on his private parts.

Kaiba tensed immediately, his whole body cramping at once, as if a lightning struck. Trying to relax himself into the exciting sensation, he moaned happily.

_Whatever the Pharaoh had placed there was vibrating intensely._

He heard the smile in Yami’s voice. 

“Calm down baby boy, we are just getting started.”

\--------------------------------------

2.3. - 23:41

 **Seto:** Here’s my report from today, your Majesty. I hope you’ll be pleased with it, and I hope you had a good day.

Report:

  * Water intake: 2 litres
  * Caffeine: 1 litre
  * Food diary: Fresh fruit (apple and peach) for breakfast, chicken, vegetable soup for lunch, stir-fry with beef and vegetables, for dinner.
  * Exercise: completed
  * Sleep: 5.5 hours



Introspection:

Dear Pharaoh,

I think I’ve finally realised how this works completely. I’ve finally realised that it’s not just my physical self that is yours, but my mind and soul as well.

I know you’ve told me this before but now I understand that to fulfil my role as your sub, I have to give my whole self over to you and trust you to help me deal with that.

It’s a daunting thought, but it doesn’t seem as bad anymore. I’m coming to terms with the fact that you are there for me to trust.

Yours,

Seto

3.3. - 05:43

 **Pharaoh:** Thank you for your report. That was late. Have you slept well?

 **Seto:** You’re welcome, your Majesty. Did you have any issues with the report? And I did, your majesty. You’re up pretty early, aren’t you?

 **Pharaoh:** How am I going to tell you, that you look dashing, if I sleep through your picture? That would be unprofessional. And yes, it’s a bit earlier than usual, but I woke up. I don’t have issues with the report. But I loved your introspection. You are improving, baby boy.

 **Seto:** I never thought of it that way, your Majesty. Although we both know I always look dashing. Thank you, your Majesty. I felt as though I had a bit of a breakthrough yesterday, and I needed to share it with you.

 **Pharaoh:** We both know you’re an arrogant prick, too, but here I am, trying to teach you some manners ;) Thank you for sharing your thoughts, I appreciate it!

 **Seto:** And you’re doing a marvellous job, Pharaoh. A truly difficult task to undertake, however, but everyone will appreciate your effort. And you're welcome, your Majesty. I want to do you proud.

-image attached-

 **Pharaoh:** Have people already complained about the loss of snarky remarks and the unpleasant occurrences of you actually saying thank you sometimes? ;) And I am proud of you. You look good like that. Suits you.

 **Seto:** I wouldn’t say I’ve gone that far yet, your Majesty. You still have a bit of work to do. Thank you, your Majesty. It means a lot to hear that. And also, how you approve of my look.

 **Pharaoh:** Oh would you look at that, you said it! ;D And all on your own.

But in all honesty. I know you work hard. And I want to see you again. See more of you.

 **Seto:** I’ve learned introspection, your Majesty. And I want to see you again too...I’ve missed you.

 **Pharaoh:** Past tense?

 **Seto:** I do miss you, your Majesty. Every time I’m away for too long.

 **Pharaoh:** I miss you, too. Wanna play?

 **Seto:** Yes, Pharaoh. Just let me know when.

 **Pharaoh:** Where are you right now?

 **Seto:** In the office, your Majesty. Why?

 **Pharaoh:** Do you have a minute?

 **Seto:** Yes, your Majesty.

 **Pharaoh:** Are you alone in your office?

 **Seto:** Yes, your Majesty.

 **Pharaoh:** Undress. I want you naked with just your collar.

 **Seto:** Yes, your Majesty.

 **Pharaoh:** Is it cold?

 **Seto:** No, your Majesty. I have heating.

 **Pharaoh:** Good. How long until your first meeting?

 **Seto:** Another hour and a half, your Majesty.

 **Pharaoh:** Then why are you in so early? Damn. Ok doesn’t matter. Kneel on the floor. I want you to spread your legs, shoulder wide.

Take your left hand and scratch your nipples. Hard. Keep doing it until they burn. Don't draw blood. Take your right hand, and pinch yourself intimately. I want you to feel it. This is mine. All of this is mine and you are going to behave, little boy. I want you to start rubbing with your right hand. And don't you dare cum before you're allowed to.

Take your left hand and answer me. Hurry. I want to know how you are doing.

 **Seto:** Yes, your Majesty. All yours. I’m so close, your Majesty. Please let me cum.

 **Pharaoh:** Yes you are. Now keep scratching your body. Go for your thighs. I want you to scratch hard enough to leave red marks. And I want a picture of them. Don’t you dare cum.

 **Seto:** -image attached-

 **Pharaoh:** Do as you're told. And don't you dare stop rubbing. You're going to be a sad whimpering mess when I'm done with you. Don't you dare cum!

 **Seto:** Yes, your Majesty.

 **Pharaoh:** I love that picture. You are so pretty. Do you think someone is listening?

 **Seto:** Thank you, Pharaoh. And Idon’t thnk so. I fthey are, they’ll know Im yours, your Majesty.

 **Pharaoh:** Pinch yourself, and go hard at it. I want you to cum while feeling pain. My pain. Go. Tell me how you're doing.

 **Seto:** t feels so good, Pharaoh. ‘M so close!

 **Pharaoh:** Very good. Grab your neck. Scratch there. Think about your collar. Now cum for me.

 **Seto:** Thank you, your Majesty.

 **Pharaoh:** Did you cum?

 **Seto:** Yes, Pharaoh.

 **Pharaoh:** Did you make a mess?

 **Seto:** Yes, Pharaoh. All over my hand.

 **Pharaoh:** Lick it up. And send me a photo. <3

 **Seto:** Send you a photo of what, your Majesty?

 **Pharaoh:** Of you, licking your hand. You’re very dumb sometimes for how clever you are, my dear.

 **Seto:** Maybe it’s you who makes me dumb, your Majesty. I stop thinking around you.

-image attached-

\-----------------------------------------  
  
As he knelt on the stone floor, the underfloor heating warming his knees, Kaiba couldn’t help the shivers of excitement that coursed down his spine.

He’d been looking forward to this session for days now. Much to his dismay, Yami had been busy so they hadn’t had a chance for a session for almost two weeks, and Kaiba was in desperate need for one.

That need was made even greater by the arrival of a parcel four days ago.

As Kaiba lost himself in his thoughts and excitement, the door opened and Yami walked in, wearing his robes and Pharaoh attire.

Kaiba couldn’t get enough of it!

Resisting the urge to look up, Kaiba stubbornly set his eyes on the rough surface of the floor in front of him.

Soon, but not quick enough for Kaiba’s liking, the dom’s feet, clad in golden gladiator sandals, appeared in his eyesight.

The moment seemed to stretch on forever, once Yami had approached Kaiba. The sub had to resist squirming or breaking position, as he felt his dom’s eyes on the top of his head.

“You’re being such a good boy.” Yami’s voice crooned. Kaiba almost looked up at the sound, wanting to smile at the Pharaoh and thank him for the praise. But he couldn’t do that. He didn’t have permission. So instead he smiled at the floor.

A delicate hand slowly nestled in his hair, gently stroking it. Kaiba leaned into the touch, feeling a calm settle around him. He sighed.

“Such a good boy.” Yami’s hand travelled down, and cupped his cheek. He lowered it even further and encouraged Kaiba to lift his face up to look at him.

The CEO obliged willingly.

As he allowed his eyes to travel up to Yami’s face, he took in the carefully pressed, white cotton of his robes, trimmed with gold lace, and the muscular toned arms, adorned with golden bracelets, he noticed a plain black velvet box held by his other hand.

A moan escaped Kaiba’s throat before he could stop it. He glanced at Yami’s face, panicking slightly, as he wasn’t allowed to make any noise.

Instead, Yami chuckled slightly and stroked his cheek with his thumb.

“A good boy deserves a reward, don’t you think?”

“That’s not my call to make, your majesty.” Kaiba replied, slowly learning the correct responses.

_It was never his call to make any demands. Not here._

“Hmm. You really are learning fast, Seto. I think you deserve a reward. Do you want to see it?” Yami asked, eyes observing Kaiba’s face.

Kaiba knew what Yami was looking for - he was looking for signs that might show Kaiba had already looked at the present.

However there were none to find.

The sub had been given strict orders to not even peek at the parcel. He was to wait until their next session, or he would be punished.

So here he was, waiting.

Yami smiled.

Kaiba thought that it was brighter than the sun.

Removing his hand from Kaiba’s cheek, Yami gripped the lid of the box and lifted it, turning it so Kaiba can see the contents.

The sub groaned.

Inside was the custom collar he’d ordered three weeks previously.

It was a deep, chocolate brown, thick leather collar, measured to be a perfect fit when he wore it. It had a stainless steel buckle at the back, and an ‘O’ ring at the front. A simple design, but it was the best quality one could get.

Kaiba's dick twitched at the thought of wearing it.

He wouldn’t be kept waiting for long however.

His excitement was causing his pulse to race, and his mind to go blank. He watched with a piercing gaze, as Yami carefully took the collar out of the box, which he then placed at his feet, before bending over and fitting the collar around Kaiba’s neck.

Kaiba trembled at the touch. He was already sensitive to begin with, but the excitement of his new collar, and the act of being collared was causing each tiny touch to shoot straight to his dick. He whimpered, unable to stop himself.

The soft leather of the collar was like a hug around his neck. It was tight enough that when he swallowed, it constricted against his Adam's apple, however, it wasn’t tight enough to affect his breathing in any way.

It was perfect.

As Yami straightened up, he took in the sight before him.

Kaiba’s normally pale skin was instead a rosy pink from head to toe. He was breathing heavily already and they’d barely begun. His dick stood proudly against his stomach, almost begging for attention.

Yami once again found himself mesmerised by the sensitivity of the CEO. He’d never had a sub be so reactive before, and Yami wanted to see more.

 _From a completely professional point of view._ He tried convincing himself. _He will be the perfect sub. He’s a dom’s dream._

That thought stirred some unwarranted feelings of jealousy and possessiveness within him.

_What if Kaiba decides he wants a different dom? What then!?_

Spurred on by the sudden need to assert his ownership, Yami leant down, looped his finger through the ‘O’ ring, and pulled Kaiba’s face close to his.

He registered, how Kaiba’s eyes widened at the sudden force, and how his erection twitched against his stomach. Kaiba loved this.

_Good._

“You’re mine. Do you understand that Seto? You’re my little sub. No one else’s. No one else will give you this collar. Mine. All mine.” Yami growled.

“Yours.” Kaiba moaned out. “I’m all yours, your majesty.”

Satisfied, Yami smiled again at his sub, his finger moving to stroke the skin underneath Kaiba’s collar, causing him to close his eyes and shiver at each brush of his fingers against the delicate skin.

“You’re such a good boy. You know your place so well, Seto. I couldn’t ask for better. So good. And you chose such a beautiful collar. It looks so good around your neck, baby. It's simple. So elegant. Does it feel nice against your skin, Seto?”

Kaiba nodded, too lost in his mind and the soft touches of Yami’s fingers to verbalise his thoughts.

Normally, Yami wouldn’t allow this, but he was pleased with how content Kaiba was, so he let it slide.

“What does the collar mean to you, Seto? Tell me, my sweet boy.”, Yami whispered, wanting to know what was going through his sub’s mind.

Kaiba opened his lust filled eyes.

“Everything, your majesty. I'm yours, nothing else.”, he groaned out.

“Mmm. You are.” Yami agreed. He continued stroking Kaiba’s neck for a couple of more minutes, both enjoying the silence and being in each other’s company. However there was one thought on Yami’s mind, that he wanted an answer to.

“Why did you go with a simple design, my love? Why didn’t you go all out with the extravagance? After all, you do with everything else, my wonderful boy.”

Kaiba looked away, clearly uncomfortable with the thoughts in his head. He was still struggling with expressing his thoughts and feelings. Yami gave him time, knowing that pressure was the last thing he needed in this situation.

Eventually, Kaiba spoke up, voice hoarse with emotions that Yami couldn’t work out.

“I chose that design because, your majesty, my bond with you is simple. There is nothing extravagant about it. My servitude to you comes down to the basic needs, and I love it, your majesty. My collar reminds me of your soft touch and how it’s the simple things like touch, that mean more to me than anything else. I don’t have to prove my worth to you, your majesty. You take me as I am.” Kaiba blushed a deep crimson colour after his confession, clearly embarrassed at revealing his inner thoughts.

Yami however was lost for words and his heart ached at the confession.

He came to a rather unsettling realisation, however: this attraction he had been feeling towards his newest client was not just a purely physical one.

Yami cared for him more than he should. He wanted every single inch of Kaiba. He wanted to fuck him until he was a begging, moaning mess, but he wanted to have deep, meaningful conversations with him at 2 in the morning, and eat breakfast with him a few hours later.

Yami wanted Kaiba.

This was probably the wrong time to come to this conclusion, as he was unable to leave his sub at the moment. Thankfully, Kaiba had closed his eyes at Yami’s gentle ministrations once again. 

With a voice filled with emotions, Yami responded with a whisper.

“Such a good boy. You’ve came so far my sweet boy. I'm so proud of you, Seto. Such a good sub. My good sub.”

\--------------------------------------------

12.04. - 13:52

 **Seto:** It’s been one week, your Majesty. When can I see you again?

 **Pharaoh:** Sorry baby boy. I can’t tell you yet, it’s stressful right now.

 **Seto:** But Pharaoh! I miss you, and I need you!

 **Pharaoh:** Sorry.

12.04. - 15: 21

 **Seto:** Do you know now, when you can see me, your Majesty? 

**Pharaoh:** No sweety. I’m sorry. I’m stressed right now.

 **Seto:** You know, I can help with that, your Majesty.

 **Pharaoh:** I. SAID. NO.

12.04. - 17:46 

**Seto:** Are you feeling any better, your Majesty?

 **Pharaoh:** No. Something broke in the studio. Have to fix it. TTYL

 **Seto:** Would you like me to come round and help, your Majesty?

 **Pharaoh:** I don’t think you can help. But thank you.

 **Seto:** Even if I can’t help fix the object, I can keep you company, Pharaoh. ;)

 **Pharaoh:** Do you ever take no as an answer?

 **Seto:** That depends on the situation, your Majesty. So, company?

 **Pharaoh:** NO.

 **Seto:** Fine.

 **Pharaoh:** Will you shut up if I let the missing title slip today??

 **Seto:** I’ll shut up if you gag me, _your majesty._

12.04. - 19:49 

**Seto:** Are you ignoring me now, your Majesty?

 **Seto:** Pharaoh?

 **Seto:** Okay. Ignore me and I’ll ignore something else.

 **Seto:** I wonder what that could be?

 **Seto:** Of course, you’d have to read the messages to find out, wouldn’t you?

 **Seto:** Which.

 **Seto:** You.

 **Seto:** Aren’t.

 **Seto:** Doing.

 **Pharaoh:** LISTEN HERE YOU NUISANCE. I TOLD YOU I’M BUSY! GO AND PLAY SOMEWHERE ELSE!

 **Seto:** But I can’t play somewhere else, because I’m yours. Or do you not remember that? It has been a while so maybe your memory has failed, _YOUR MAJESTY._ I keep forgetting that. But of course, my memory is failing as well due to the time we’ve spent apart. I don’t think I even remember the way to the studio, it’s been that long!

\---------------------  
_“I can see you today. Meet me in the tomb at 10pm. If you’ll be late, don’t bother coming.”_

That’s the message Kaiba had received earlier that day. It had filled him with an aching need and distracted him from the rest of the day’s activities. He’d been excited about what Yami had planned for him.

This wasn’t what he’d expected.

On reflection, maybe throwing a temper tantrum with his dom and not taking a ‘no’ for an answer wasn't the best move on his part.

Instead what it got him was being locked in the cage, with a hood over his face, and a vibrating cock ring on his engorged penis, listening to his dom talk to another client.

Kaiba whimpered around the ball gag, that was stuffed in his mouth.

He wanted attention.

But not like this!

He needed to come!

But he couldn’t like this!

He wanted to be locked in the cage.

But he didn’t imagine it like this.

It was the first time he’d been truly punished by the Pharaoh, and the sub hated it. 

He was aching, and needy, and fed up with just his actions to reflect upon, listening to his dom pay someone else attention instead.

Tears rolled down his face underneath the hood.

Kaiba knew he would never act up like that again. Not if it meant this would happen.

He’d be a good sub!

\---------------------------------

24.04. - 03:17

 **Seto:** Your Majesty, I have to apologise...I may have, um, came when dreaming. I’m sorry, Pharaoh. Please don’t be mad.

24.04. - 05:53 

**Pharaoh:** What have you been dreaming about?

 **Pharaoh:** And good morning.

 **Seto:** You, your Majesty. And our sessions. Good morning, Pharaoh.

 **Pharaoh:** You dreamed about me? :smirk: Tell me about it.

 **Seto:** Really, your Majesty?

 **Pharaoh:** Really, Seto. But first, get ready for work.

 **Seto:** Yes, your Majesty.

-image attached-

 **Pharaoh:** :thumbs up:

24.04. - 06:28

 **Seto:** Would you still like to hear about it, your Majesty?

 **Pharaoh:** Absolutely. I want to know what you are dreaming about ;)

 **Seto:** Well, it was...sexy, which you should have guessed, your Majesty. And you were there. We were having a session, Pharaoh. So we were in the tomb, and um, we were warming up with a flogger. And stuff like that. And then um, well, we went a bit further than we have done, your Majesty.

 **Pharaoh:** You sound a bit embarrassed. There’s no need for that. Tell me more.

 **Seto:** Well, we kind of - and I know we can’t your majesty, because of the no fluids exchanged rule - but you...you fucked me your majesty.

 **Pharaoh:** Are you aware that there are ways to… stimulate you in similar ways without fluid exchange?

 **Seto:** No, your Majesty. What ways are there?

 **Pharaoh:** Oh sweet summer child. Maybe I’ll show you some of them if you behave well.

 **Seto:** Mmm. Yes, your Majesty. When might that be?

 **Pharaoh:** Meet me at the tomb the day after tomorrow. I’ll text you an exact time later.

 **Pharaoh:** IF you behave well.  
\-----------------------------------------

Kaiba stood at the top of the stairs, trying to focus, before he descended into the tomb. He looked down his long, strong body.

Had he gained muscle mass? Yami’s training was paying off.

He felt healthier and fitter than he did in years, maybe ever.

His shirt was off, and his lean fingers opened his belt buckle with practised ease. Stripping was becoming more and more calming.

He would have never thought some months ago, that it would relax him to get out of his clothes to step into the cellar of another man, but here he was, feeling a warm calmness spread through his body as he got naked.

Stepping down the stairs, he felt himself become slightly aroused, but he didn’t feel weird about it anymore. He felt happy. Right now, he lived for those moments of anticipation, knowing he’d meet the Pharaoh soon and get to submit to the only person he respected enough to let loose.

Kaiba knelt in front of the big door, bowing his head a bit, and placed his hands on his thighs. He would wait like this until Yami was ready to greet him. Invite him in. Play with him. 

Did it take longer than usual? Kaiba wasn’t sure. He tried to focus on something, anything, to keep his active mind at peace. He knew, that the Pharaoh took his time on purpose. He wanted Kaiba to get in the proper headspace and allow him some time to do so.

He used to consider this cruel, waiting alone on his knees on the stone floor, without any sign or knowledge when he’d be allowed inside.

But after some sessions, he began to understand.

This was his time to brace himself, to ready himself. He was allowed introspection. Was he really ready to play today? Was the necessary headspace achievable? By now, Kaiba was sure Yami was somehow watching him, dissecting all the emotions and gestures around his body.

He took a deep breath.

_In… and out…_

Kaiba felt his pumping heart slow down a bit.

_In… and out…_

He would wait patiently for his majesty.

_In… and out…_

The sub felt ready, but he had to learn the hard way, that it wasn’t his decision when he was allowed to play.

_In… and out…_

Kaiba wanted to meet the Pharaoh.

_In… and out…_

He wanted the Pharaoh.

_In… and out…_

Want. Pharaoh.

_In… and -_

The door swung open.

_… out._

Yami stood in front of him in all his earthly glory.

He deserved the title “Pharaoh”.

Wide metal bands spanned around his upper arms, his neck was decorated with a wide golden, choker like ring. He somehow managed to pull it off without it looking like a collar. Mesmerised, Kaiba gazed at the gorgeous creature in front of him.

He knew Yami looked good in casual clothes, he had seen them.

But this?

This was something else entirely.

The Pharaoh looked down with a smirk.

“You’re staring.”

Immediately, Kaiba tried to correct his mistake, averting his gaze and leaning forward to offer his submission.

_Please don’t be angry before we even started._

But Yami seemed to be in a good mood, he ruffled the brown mop of hair carelessly and stepped inside, relying on Kaiba to follow him on his own.

He sat down on his throne, opening his legs slightly for Kaiba to sit between them.

_Should he tell him, that this was a privilege almost no one was allowed?_

Kaiba hurried over the floor, crawling on hands and knees, and feeling the stone floor pleasantly grazing his legs.

The ground was rough enough to scrape his knees lightly, but not so much that it would bruise.

Pleasant.

Kaiba was sure it was no coincidence.

Everything in the studio was designed in a way, that reminded him and every other sub about their status.

_He must have had a savvy architect._

_Wait. What was he thinking?_

He drew his head up, just enough so his gaze landed on Yami’s legs.

They looked soft and smelled nice.

_Would everything about the Pharaoh smell nice? Feel nice?_

Settling in front of the throne, Kaiba felt his dick ache.

Oh.

He was hard.

When had this even happened?

He could have sworn it wasn’t like that when he entered the tomb.

Not that he minded.

It felt good, and he was here to feel good.

Kaiba knew, that Yami could and would give this feeling to him, if he behaved correctly and was a good boy.

_I want to be a good boy._

The thought would have shocked him some weeks ago, but by now, he had accepted, that he had certain cravings other people didn’t have.

Apparently, being validated by another man in an ancient looking robe was one of them.

_This was fine._

Kaiba sat up a bit straighter, trying to signal Yami that he was ready for whatever he had in store.

Yami caught that, and cupped the sub’s face in his hands.

_Beautiful._

Their communication had increased so much over the last weeks.

The Pharaoh loved to touch his possession.

He felt the urge to lean down, and kiss the tight lips.

_No._

Instead, he leaned forward to press his own, plump lips on Kaiba’s forehead, angling Kaiba’s head up, so he’d have easy access.

The sub smiled up blissfully, his eyes already clouded, his dick already hard.

_Fucking beautiful._

“So what are we going to do with you today?”

“Whatever you want, your majesty.”

They both knew their script.

For a second, Yami felt like pulling Kaiba in his lap, laying him flat over his knees and spanking his ass, just for the fun of it. But he dismissed the idea. He had other plans.

Unless…

“Okay my love, I want both of us to have some fun today and try something new, how does that sound?”

Kaiba eagerly nodded his head.

_Yes._

_Fun sounded great._

_New sounded great._

He nuzzled further into Yami’s hands to signal his excitement.

“Okay.”- Yami got up and started to move to the bed- “crawl over, Seto. I want you in bed with me.” He turned around and winked cheekily, knowing full well how those words would affect the other man.

Kaiba whimpered needily.  
Yami did something to him no one else ever did.

He cautiously started to move to the bed, enjoying the grounding touch of the floor beneath him, as he moved on unsteady limbs.

Yami had gathered something from the table and now sat down on the bed. He signaled Kaiba to lay over his lap.

Kaiba’s eyes widened greedily, feeling a hunger claw at his insides no food could ever fill.

He lurched himself on the bed, scrambling over to Yami to lay down on the indicated spot. A slight shiver crawled over his body, making him shake with anticipation.

“Do you know, what a pretty boy you are?”

Yami was well aware of how excited Kaiba reacted to praise.

He could feel the sub squirm in his lap, rubbing his erection unconsciously over Yami’s own nether regions.

_Shit. That was a stupid idea._

He shouldn’t have listened to _that_ part of his brain.

_Was it even his brain?_

He stilled Kaiba’s movement, when he heartedly grabbed his ass, kneading the supple flesh in his palms.

“Look at you. Such a pretty boy. And so eager to be touched. You’re a little slut, aren’t you?” Yami moved his own hips up suggestively.

_That was bold. Hopefully Seto would react well to that name. He was still coming to terms with his needs and wants, even though he had made great progress._

But Yami didn’t need to worry, because Kaiba groaned loudly, and, despite himself, ground his hips down, seeking friction. 

Under normal circumstances, this would have been punishable behaviour, but Yami felt merciful, knowing that he had been provoking the other man. So instead of something drastic, he brought his second hand up and grabbed the other cheek, roughly kneading and continuing to elicit moans and gasps from Kaiba.

“Do you like this, baby boy? Are you having fun?”

Kaiba nodded sharply, clawing his long fingers into the bed sheets.

He continued to give verbal hints of pleasure.

Yami thought about gagging him, but he enjoyed it far too much.

_So fucking responsive!_

He slowly pulled his hands away from each other while kneading, effectively exposing Kaiba’s tightly clenched asshole.

The Pharaoh had to make an effort to pull his gaze from the subs backside, looking for his face and any hints of discomfort, but found none.

Kaiba had closed his eyes, his mouth open, and he panted heavily.

So Yami kept probing. Moving his hands in circular motions, he edged himself closer and closer to Kaiba’s exposed crack.

Still no jerking away.

_Interesting._

He boldly swept his index, middle and ring finger over the center of the other man’s backside.

Kaiba tensed, but made no effort to pull away.

After a second, he lifted his hips slightly, pressing back softly into Yami’s touch.

_INTERESTING._

So he was definitely down for being touched there.

Very good, this would help Yami and his plans for today a lot.

He continued to grope Kaiba, his touches getting more and more intense, until he was scratching, almost clawing the other man’s ass.

With increasing intensity of the hands’ movements, the noises grew louder, too.

_So he was apparently enjoying pain, too._

Yami filed this information away for later. It would definitely come in handy.

When he worked the flesh enough for it to be rosy and sensitive, he grabbed behind himself, fingering around for a small metal object.

Kaiba had noted, that he wanted to try plugs.

But he was also very inexperienced, and even though he was a quick learner, Yami had kept pushing any penetration away until he felt like the sub would be comfortable enough.

The way Kaiba squirmed in his lap, gasping, moaning, panting, sometimes even grunting, gave Yami this feeling of readiness.

He smiled to himself, watching Kaiba loosen up more and more until he was mentally gone, his body shivering happily, but his mind blissfully blank.

Keeping one hand on the subs cheeks, he moved the plug in his other hand close to his hole. When the thinner tip came in contact with the heated flesh, he was ready for Kaiba to jerk.

But there was little reaction.

He tensed slightly, but immediately relaxed at the soft touch.

_Oh._

That was unexpected.

He seemed to be more at ease with his sexuality than Yami had initially thought.

_Even better._

Putting the plug down, he searched for the bottle of lube behind his back, but continued to massage Kaiba at the same time.

From time to time, he murmured encouraging words.

“Look at you, my sweet boy. So soft. I love touching you. Do you want me to touch you?”

Despite his clouded senses, Yami’s voice brought Kaiba back into his body, slowly feeling the floating sensation drift away.

He wanted to feel all of this.

A fogged mind was fun when his thoughts spiraled out of control, but right now, he felt at ease. He wanted to hear his Pharaoh. He wanted to feel his Pharaoh.

“Yes your majesty. I love your touch. Please touch me, your majesty.”

Yami was surprised. He hadn’t really expected an answer, much less a coherent one.

_Very well._

He lubed up the small plug generously, placing it at Kaiba’s entrance.

Then, he waited. He took his time, waiting for a physical confirmation of Kaiba’s word. A nod, a twitch, something.

But again, Yami was surprised, because Kaiba just pushed himself on the plug. That was it. One swift motion, one careless thrust, and it was gone. Yami had picked a small one, because Kaiba was inexperienced, but he certainly hadn’t expected _this._

He stared at the plugs flush base with unblinking eyes.

Kaiba turned his head around, and smiled the most genuine smile Yami had ever seen on him. His eyes were clouded, but his gaze was steady, locking into Yami, as Kaiba whispered: “Thank you, your majesty.”

Yami didn’t know what to do. Technically, it was his task to take control.

But Kaiba seemed genuine, he wasn’t grinning cheekily, and he had thanked him, so he probably thought, that this behaviour was expected of him?

The Pharaoh scrunched up his brows, but then smiled to himself.

Kaiba was special in so many ways.

“So eager, aren’t you, my love? Look at you, first time having something up your ass and you pushed back on it as if you’ve been doing it for years.”

Kaiba stilled completely, his pale complexion flushing a deep crimson.

Yami immediately stopped caressing him, wondering.

_What the hell was that now?_

He gathered himself.

“What is it love?”

Again, Kaiba turned his head towards Yami, looking like he wanted to disappear into thin air.

Watching the Pharaoh pull up an eyebrow, he quickly answered:

“Your majesty, I…” - it took a lot of effort saying such a small thing, considering his current situation- “Your majesty, I might… have tried to… I might have put my finger there once to… “ He trailed off, looking extremely guilty.

Yami knitted his eyebrows together.

“And did you cum?”

Kaiba flushed an even darker shade of red, trying to hide his face, as he muttered: “Yes.”

Now, Yami looked angry.

What?

What had he done wrong?

Shouldn’t he have experimented?

But it was even before the contract…

A thought crawled slowly through his endorphin-high brain.

The contract.

He wasn’t allowed to cum without Yami’s approval.

But this was before!

But the Pharaoh didn’t know…

Kaiba immediately spoke up again, explaining the misunderstanding, hoping desperately that Yami would approve.

When he saw understanding dawning on Yami’s face and his eyebrows went back into their perfectly kept shape, he knew he’d done the right thing.

“So you tried this stuff even before you knew me?”

Kaiba shook his head again.

No.

Yami didn’t understand.

They already knew each other, but they didn’t play together yet.

Kaiba was just really horny for him.

Since his filter was deactivated and he knew that blatant honesty was expected, this was exactly what he told Yami.

Yami grinned prettily, making Kaiba’s heart soar.

He gave the plug a hearty swirl.

Simultaneously, excitement shot through Kaiba like lightning.

_This felt so much better than when he did it himself._

He moaned throatily, but immediately turned to a whine, when he felt the plug being extracted suddenly.

_Why? What had he done wrong?_

_Was he being punished?_

But after a few seconds, his mind went blank again, all his thoughts leaving his body with the moan Yami elicited, when he shoved in a bigger plug.

“There, there, my dear. Do you like that? Are you having fun?

You are so pretty like that, completely unwound. I bet you could cum like this, with just a bit of pain and a plug up your ass. Can you do that for me? Can you be my little slut today?”

Kaiba rolled his eyes back, trying with all his might not to rut down into Yami’s lap. The Pharaoh would scold him! That wouldn’t be worth it.

But he really wanted to cum.

Could Yami really make him cum through this alone?

His body moved on his own and he felt himself nod, long before his hazy mind had decided for him.

“Good.”

The Pharaoh gave his ass a hard slap, knowing that the tensing would make Kaiba feel the plug almost too much.

He grinned to himself and moved the limp body from his lap to get up.

Kaiba fell flush on the blanket, neither brave enough nor motivated to move. He watched Yami pick a beautiful kane.

Oh. He knew that.

He had dealt with those before.

But just like his body got heated when he came across this picking hard and soft limits, he felt himself get aroused again. Yami had made a formidable choice if he really wanted him to cum from pain. 

The beautiful dom strut over to the bed, almost lazily leaning down to grin at Kaiba.

“You look happy about the kane. Do you like it? Like it enough to get you off?”

Kaiba shivered again, feeling his leg twitch.

He could probably cum from Yami’s voice alone, if he kept saying stuff like that. Shit, the man could read a grocery shopping list with his voice of honey and hunger and Kaiba would probably be able to get off on it, if he tried hard enough.

He made a small noise of approval, and Yami instructed him with the usual rule of counting the hits.

“If you’re a good boy and stay with me until we reach 20, I’ll allow you to cum. If you cum before, or make a mistake, you will be punished. Are the instructions clear?”

“Yes your majesty.”

Yami struck down the kane swiftly, hitting across Kaiba’s bare ass.

“One.”

The kane was already up in the air and back down in a second, leaving an angry red mark on the already red skin.

“Two”

Yami smiled to himself. He hadn’t expected Kaiba to take the kane so well, but his answers were fast and steady, even though his arousal was obvious in the way he breathed. He gave him another swift smack.

“Three.”

Kaiba didn’t miss a beat, even though his body reacted, the kane leaving pretty stripes on his ass.

“Four.”

Yami continued to strike on his backside, his hits getting more and more intense as he let the kane linger on the bruised flesh.

Kaiba would feel this tomorrow.

_Good._

He kept up a fast, relentless pace, but even though Kaiba was pent up and on edge, he didn’t miss a single strike. Yami was impressed.

When he reached 20 strikes and Kaiba had managed to not soil the sheets just yet, he sat down beside him, feeling the subs harsh pants on his exposed legs.

“You are doing so well. So amazing. I’m so proud of you, sweet boy. Look at you. Your ass is an art piece. All those red and blue tones. You are perfect. And you are allowed to cum now.”

And with those words, he grabbed the heated flesh again, kneading it close to the plug and creating an incredible mix of pain and pleasure, of hurt and comfort, that drove Kaiba over the edge instantly.

His whole body was warm and his mind went blank, losing the last grip on reality he had. He felt like floating, as the shockwaves of pleasure rippled through his body.

Bucking lightly into the sheets, he came in thick strings of pearly liquid, not even bothering to try and stifle his echoing moans.

Then… nothing.

It took almost a whole minute, until his thoughts resurfaced and his brain started itself again. When the fog grew lighter, he realised that he had been placed in Yami’s lap.

The dom cradled his head between his hands, stroking the damp hair out of his eyebrows. Kaiba registered the Pharaoh murmuring sweet nothings into his ear, but he couldn’t focus on the words, even if he wanted to. He smiled innocently up at the handsome face hovering above him, and closed his eyes when he saw Yami smile back.

His body spasmed lightly now and then, clenching emptily, because Yami had taken the plug out at some point Kaiba hadn’t even registered.

He realised now, that he apparently had been wiped down, too, because his stomach was free from sperm and he had been pulled away from the wet patch.

_Maybe it wasn’t just a minute, then._

But time didn’t matter.

Nothing mattered when he was with the Pharaoh.

Except of course the man himself.

\----------------------------------------- 

1.5. - 8:56

 **Pharaoh:** How are you, love?

 **Seto:** My ass is still aching, your Majesty. I love it though.

 **Pharaoh:** :evil grin: good. Because you’re mine. And I like for you to have a reminder.

 **Seto:** This is a reminder I could get used to, your majesty. Although it’s a bit awkward walking past my secretary with a slight limp, Pharaoh.

 **Pharaoh:** Haha, that sounds entertaining. I’m glad. Now two people know I own you ;)

 **Seto:** Two, Pharaoh!?

 **Pharaoh:** Well you do, hopefully, too, don’t you?

 **Seto:** Yes, your Majesty. Although...I might need to invest in a plug. As a reminder of course. ;)

 **Pharaoh:** Is this your slutty side coming through? Because I love it, bitch boy.

 **Seto:** Only for you, your Majesty.

 **Pharaoh:** mine. <3

 **Seto:** Yours, Pharaoh. All yours.

\-----------------------------------------

Yami heard a knock, before his front door opened.

Yugi.

“You know, most people wait until they are asked in, right?" 

“Yup. But I brought a present for you. So stop complaining!”

Yugi strut into Yami’s apartment, full of confidence, a man on a mission.

He placed the big bag he brought with him in the hallway, looking around the corner on the right and into the living room, where Yami was seated.

He had not bothered getting up.

Yugi knew his way around his flat, he owned the one below him with a similar design, and they spend a good amount of time with each other, both hating to be lonely.

“A present?” Yami asked, suspicion lacing his voice.

That wasn’t necessarily a good thing with his brother.

He knew the other man. Yugi had perfected the art of appearing cute and innocent in the eye of the public, but he was a little devil behind closed doors.

_If he was kinky, he’d definitely be a sadist._

Smiling to himself, Yami was glad that Yugi wasn’t involved more in the scene. Yami and Mai were more than enough - they didn’t need a third dom!

“A present.” Yugi grinned through the open door, confirming Yami’s suspicions. He wouldn’t be happy about this.

“Thank you, but I don’t need anything, I’m quite happy the way I am. Wanna eat something? We can order some take out?”

Yugi confidently walked into the living room, his face grazed by a shit eating grin.

 _Fuck. This little bitch was up to something. Something not even food would distract him from. So it must be particularly bad._

“I bet I got something you do need. Or at least want.”

He winked suggestively.

Yami narrowed his eyes. He was still trying to change the subject.

“You want a drink?” He got up and walked to the kitchen, stopping in his track when Yugi hurried after him.

“You can run, but you can’t hide. I’ll wait. And a tea, please.”

The taller one rolled his eyes. He really was up to something.

Did he really want to know?

Yami prepared fresh tea and handed a mug to Yugi, carrying the kettle back into the living room. When he sat down on one of the big, brown couches, that were placed in a v-shape hugging a small table, he exhaled slowly.

Okay.

He didn’t want to continue like this.

Yugi wouldn’t shut up all night until he accepted his “present”.

“Fine.”

“Fine what?” The smaller one grinned mischievously.

“Fine, I’ll take your stupid present.”

Yugi grinned over both cheeks and jumped up, running into the hallway, where he had kept the big bag. He yelled: “You’ll LOVE it.” over his shoulder, before he disappeared through the door.

How much worse could it get?

The last time Yugi was so happy was, when he had added a bit of chilli to Yami’s personal lube after a fight.

He still had an aversion to that brand, even though they weren’t at fault and it was years ago.

So what was this little shit up to, now?

Yugi stepped back through the door, hiding the present and its container behind his back.

“Well, your majesty.” - he grinned cheekily at Yami and raised one eyebrow, teasing - “I heard, you are sleeping not so well recently.”

“Fuck you.”

“Why the harsh words? I worry, dear brother of mine!”

In Yugi’s eyes were many undisclosed emotions visible. Worry wasn’t one of them.

“So I wondered what’s keeping you up at night.”

“Fuck you.”

Yugi smiled gracefully, grabbing into the bag.

He produced a small package, tossing it at Yami.

The latter one caught it easily, reading the label.

“Good Night Tea”

Well that was… nice?

That couldn’t be all.

And as if he had been given a cue, Yugi’s shit eating grin reappeared.

“I’ve been worrying you might be sleeping on the wrong pillows. Studies found that they greatly affect the quality of your sleep!” Halfway through the sentence, he couldn’t stay serious anymore and started to giggle.

Yami was confused.

Had Yugi gotten him… a new pillow?

He had.

Yami stared at the long, white pillow Yugi produced from the bag. 

“It’s a full body pillow. So… not only your head is burrowed softly.”

His grin got impossibly wider, as he winked confidently at his brother.

Then, he turned the pillow.

On the front was a lewd, almost realistically sized print of…

“KAIBA?!”

Yami didn’t trust his eyes.

He had seen those hugging pillows with various sorts of anime characters, sometimes even with sexualised drawings of stars and actors.

But this? 

He had somehow forgotten, how famous Kaiba was.

And even though he wasn’t a singer or film star, Yami was well aware of the thousands of girls lusting over him.

Still… What the fuck?

He gawked at the “present”, mouth open, his eyes threatening to fall out of their sockets.

Yugi laughed maniacally at his reaction, and Yami faintly registered the noise of a shutter.

“This is going to be my new background. For EVERYTHING I own.

But first… “

Yami felt his phone buzz twice in a quick succession, signaling, that someone had posted in the studio’s group chat.

\---------------------------------

Silence hung over the kitchen island as the two Kaiba brothers ate their meal. Nothing but the sound of cutlery hitting plates and the steady breathing broke it.

Until…

“So when do I get to meet this person you’re seeing?”

Kaiba almost choked on the piece of beef he’d been chewing. After several seconds of sputtering and gagging, Kaiba swallowed it, following it up with huge gulps of water.

Mokuba just sat and stared, eyes twinkling with laughter at the sight of his big brother losing composure. 

A rare sight to behold, at least it used to be. The past few months had seen his brother lose composure and change drastically.

Mokuba had figured out it was a guy very early on, but Seto refused to talk about it.

However, his patience was running thin, and his curiosity was eating him up alive.

Eventually Kaiba was able to stutter a few words out.

“I-I don’t know,” he coughed, clearing his throat and starting again. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t give me that shit!”

“Language!”

“Whatever Captain America. I know you’re seeing someone - I’m not stupid, you know!” Mokuba crossed his arms and glared at his older brother, who in turn stared back, flabbergasted at his brother’s attitude.

_When did he grow so old?_

“I don’t think you're stupid, I just.” Kaiba sighed lowering his head. “It’s just complicated, Mokuba.”

The younger Kaiba observed the older one, his expression softening.

“I don’t care how complicated it is. Seto, I just want to meet the person who’s made you smile again.”

They locked eyes.

Kaiba felt his heart ache at Mokuba’s confession. To the public, he was a bratty rich kid with everything at his feet, but Kaiba knew the heart of gold his younger brother possessed.

He cared about others before himself, if you were lucky enough to be considered a friend.

Kaiba was so proud of him.

“Mokuba, it’s not as you think-”

“Then tell me!”

“You wouldn’t understand!”

“You know, I’m not a little kid anymore, Seto! I know about sex.”

Kaiba gawked at his brother.

_He really has grown up._

“I get that. But believe me, you really don’t want to know. I just...he doesn’t...I mean. Oh forget it!” Kaiba had grown frustrated with the conversation.

Mokuba leaned closer, resting one hand on Kaiba’s arm. In response, Seto looked at him out of the corner of his eye.

“What’s wrong? You can talk to me, big brother. Maybe I can help? I know how to flirt, if you need tips.” Mokuba lifted the corner of his lip up in a smirk, his eyes twinkling with the same mischief from earlier. Kaiba chuckled slightly and put one arm around his younger brother’s shoulder.

“You really aren’t a young kid anymore.” Sighing in defeat, Kaiba admitted what he didn’t want to admit.

“He doesn’t like me in the same way, Mokuba. And it kills me because I really like him.”

A lone tear found its way down his cheek as Mokuba looked on, shocked at his brother’s heartbreaking confession.

“How can you be so sure?”, he asked.

Kaiba shook his head.

“Because, it’s not what he does."

Kaiba extracted his arm and left for his bedroom, leaving his brother at the island, confusion and sadness etched upon his face.

\---------------------------

4.5. - 19:48

 **Pharaoh:** You will never believe, what Yugi bought for me.

-image attached-

 **Seto:** Why cuddle that, when you can have the real thing, your Majesty? It’s a bad investment.

 **Pharaoh:** Offer me a better deal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s halftime, friends! 
> 
> And like in every good game of sports, our “players” need a break, too.  
> We will have a short upload pause, only two weeks, so no need to be sad. We won’t stop writing. But since the next chapters are going to be huge, and we want to keep up the quality, it seemed like the best solution. 
> 
> Please feel free to use the break to text us, to comment, to send us fanart on Ajenomi on tumblr, or to visit us in the tomb on ugli's discord server (Yug-yug-yugioh): https://discordapp.com/channels/410321581856784385/520432062960893952 . 
> 
> We love you and hope, you’ll understand.  
> With lots of love and kinky ideas, 
> 
> AJ, Jen and Venom. 
> 
> <3


	11. I'm terrified what move life's gonna play on us, And I'm sure it just takes courage...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you miss us? ;)

“Offer me a better deal.”

Kaiba gripped his hair in frustration.

A better deal than a body pillow?

Was there a _worse_ deal?

Sure, he could offer himself.

But “Fuck me instead.” wasn’t exactly decent.

And it would imply that Yami was fucking the body pillow!

Which of course he wouldn't do. Right?

Kaiba was mortified. Would a cushion with a badly drawn version of himself get more action with the Pharaoh than him?

He wouldn’t allow that!

But what could he do?

He knew, Yami was professional through and through, and no matter how much he wanted to offer the real deal, he knew he’d be turned down.

Could his ego handle such a blow?

He had to find another way. One the Pharaoh could hardly deny.

Kaiba pulled up the website of the studio, suddenly feeling electrified when he noticed the header about their offers.

Most of the time, he just stared at the tab called “staff”, with more or less cryptic pictures of the employees. If you knew the people behind the icons, you could easily make them out, but if you didn’t you’d have a hard time to identify them in the day to day life.

Kaiba had to admire the photographer, it was an amazing work on the edge of familiarity and anonymity.

_But back to his tasks._

He checked the studios offers and felt himself harden.

Damn.

He wasn’t allowed to touch himself today.

Curse the Pharaoh and his attractiveness!

Kaiba devoured hungrily the sheer endless list of bookable options.

He wanted to try so much of that, where to start?

What would Yami like?

He wanted to provide him a nice offer after all.

One offer eventually caught his attention

**_Weekend deal – Enjoy the tomb all day. And all night. And all day. And all night._ **

Kaiba’s mouth went dry at the implication of spending two whole days in the room that held his darkest desires and deepest fears, all protected by a man he had learned to love fiercely over the last few months.

But when would he have two full days to spend in there?

Not in the next month, that much was clear.

And he needed an immediate answer, the Pharaoh had been waiting far too long.

Suddenly, he remembered his first encounter with Yami.

At the conference.

Where Pegasus had booked him… for a weekend!

Kaiba felt ecstatic.

That was it. That was the offer!

He had a conference coming up next weekend and he could just bring him as a business partner.

But what if Yami didn’t have time?

Kaiba felt too excited. He needed to check first.

So he called the now familiar number of the studio.

\-----------

Yami ate with his brother.

He didn’t really know why, because he was still angry.

About the pillow, about Kaiba’s missing answer, about Yugi’s taunts for texting him at all.

Suddenly, Yugi’s phone buzzed with a tune that was reserved for the studio’s number. When the studio was closed, the calls immediately went to his private phone. This was bothering from time to time, when someone horny called in the middle of the night, but it was also when they made the biggest deals.

Apparently, today was one of the latter occurrences.

Yugi checked the display.  


- _unknown number-_

Rolling his eyes, he took the call, while Yami watched him intently.

“Kane Game.”

“… Yugi?”

The small man started to grin from ear to ear, immediately recognizing the voice he had heard a lot over the last few weeks. He turned to Yami, gave him a charming smile, and purred: “Kaiba. How may I help?”

Yami immediately sat up straight, eying Yugi intently and gestured towards himself.

_Give me the fucking phone._

Kaiba called instead of texting. He probably had an elaborated offer!

As it turned out, Yami was right. But he didn’t get to find out, because Yugi hopped up and started to move to the bathroom.

The Pharaoh clenched his eyes and hurried after him, hissing: “Stop this you bitch, give me the phone!”

He heard Yugi mutter: “Yami? No, the Pharaoh is sadly not available right now.”, before he slammed the door in his brother’s face.

Yami was rooted to the spot. He heard a happy giggle from the inside of the bathroom.

“Let me pull up his schedule – THIS weekend? Ohhhhh…. Ooohhhhh….. That’s going to be expensive.”

Urgently, Yami slapped his palm on the door, trying to be loud enough for Yugi to hear but not loud enough to startle Kaiba.

“That noise? Haha, don’t worry. You know what a place we are, right?” - Yugi kicked the bathroom door – “Oh yeah, that’s Yami. He’s busy, as I told you. Going hard at some poor soul.”

The Pharaoh grunted in frustration.

He’d kill his brother sooner or later.

Probably sooner.

“So you say, next weekend? The whole weekend? From Friday evening until Sunday evening? 48 hours? And you are aware what his hourly rates are?”

Silence.

“Sorry. Sorry I know you are – geez, calm down I didn’t mean to insult – Kaiba calm down or I swear to god I’m going to block – KAIBA I’M GOING TO BLOCK – what?”

More silence.

Then- Yugi’s obnoxious laughter. 

“Now we are talking.”

Yami furrowed his brows. What was the little asshole doing in there?

Again, he knocked on the door.

Again, Yugi kicked it halfheartedly.

“That sounds great – Oh yeah, I’m sure he’ll love it. Why don’t you text him what you want to do? He always loves a bit of guidance. – FOR FUCKS SAKE NO YOU DON’T DO THAT I WAS JOKING… But honestly… for that price? You could try.”

Yami felt his anger well up inside him, dangerously close to the surface by now.

_Should he kick in his own door?_

“Haha, yeah, I’ll tell him. I expect you to get him in one of those shiny, ridiculously long – Oh great, exactly. He’ll love that. He’s all for big entrances. Seriously, have you seen what he’s wearing sometimes? – Oh shit, I gotta go, see you later, nice to talk to –”

Yami had managed to open the bathroom door from the outside, snapping the lock open with an old trick, and stepped into the bathroom, looking positively livid.

With little effort, he wrestled Yugi for his phone, stole it, and ended the call.

Then, he faced his brother.

“You…”

But he didn’t come very far.

“Kaiba booked you for the whole weekend!”, Yugi managed to blurt out, effectively stopping Yami’s fist mid-strike. He made himself smaller and smiled what he hoped was a friendly smile. “He offered to pay double the normal rate. Because it’s on short notice. And because he wanted to make you some… better offer? I don’t know what that was about.”

Yami shoved his brother harshly against the wall.

“YOU MADE HIM PAY DOUBLE?”

“NO!”, the slightly smaller man shouted, “he offered! It was his idea! Because he wanted to see you no matter what!”

Yami let go of his brother, but intently threw the door shut when Yugi tried to walk out of the bathroom.

“You aren’t seriously angry, because I made you rich, are you?”

But Yami didn’t feel like answering Yugi.

He took out his phone and began composing an apology to Kaiba.

But before he could send it, he received a message.

 **  
** **Seto:** I don’t know if Yugi told you about my offer yet. Probably not. He said you are in a session? Which is weird because you seemed to be at home when you sent the photo of the pillow? But anyway, whenever you read this and no matter if Yugi told you…

I’m looking forward to see you again, your majesty.

Yami felt himself smile and tugged his phone away.

He would make up for his brother’s behavior in person.

\----------

The shrieking sound of his alarm caught Yami off guard, causing him to bolt upright in bed.

But it was still completely dark! Why was his alarm ringing?

He glanced at the clock.

03:53

What?

His sleep fogged brain suddenly reminded him, that it was his ringtone.

He took the call.

“Hello Pharaoh!” – a happy and very awake voice chirped in his ear- “How is your day going?”

“What day, Maximilian? It’s in the middle of the night!”

Pegasus faltered.

“Shit. Shit sorry, your majesty! I forgot the time difference!”

“It’s okay. What’s up? Do you need me right now?”

Maximilian touched a soft spot in Yami, being one of his long-term clients and most favored subs.

“Not right now Pharaoh, but thank you! I’m calling because of the weekend. I’m at a conference and I wanted to ask if you’ve got time to… accompany me?” 

Yami’s hazy brain started to stir. Weekend. He had to be somewhere on the weekend.

“I… I don’t have my planner right now… but, I guess, I could make time? Over the phone? I know I need to be somewhere, but I don’t know where… Fuck. Are you okay with instructions on your mobile?”

“Sure, Pharaoh! I love all the attention I can get from you!”, Pegasus purred through the phone.

“Great. Great.” – Yami smothered his face with his pillow – “I need to go back to sleep. Please text me the details, I’ll catch up tomorrow.”

“Yes, your majesty, gladly. Good night, Pharaoh.”

“Good night, Maximilian.”

Yami rolled over when he turned his phone off.

Of course. He had to be at Kaiba’s conference!

This was probably a stupid idea. There were multiple hours of time difference between Japan and America. Could he handle both subs? At different conferences? At the same time, or rather at alternating times?

This was going to be an exhausting, but lucrative weekend.

\-----------

Friday afternoon came quick, and Kaiba grew more and more nervous.

He shuffled around in his seat in the conference room, trying to focus on the discussion with all his might. They were talking about the plan for the weekend, after all.

And he wasn’t stupid. Kaiba knew, he wouldn’t be able to focus on a lot of the conference, not with Yami by his side.

The thought alone excited him to no end.

The Pharaoh had forbidden him to cum for the entirety of the last week, and Kaiba was positively on edge, physically and mentally.

Would Yami allow him release sometime soon? Or was he going to torture him through the whole conference, letting him cum only on sunday afternoon, when everything he needed his concentration for was over and his nervous, jittery brain was allowed to blank?

_Oh god what if he wasn’t allowed to cum at all? He couldn’t-_

A kick to his shin pulled him out of his spiraling thoughts.

Mokuba gave him an angry side eye. He hissed under his breath: “Focus. Just once. Damn.”

Kaiba guiltily lifted his head and forced himself to appear present.

He folded his hands in his lap, trying to hide the erection, that started to show.

Shit.

Shit shit shit shit shit.

Luckily he hadn’t chosen an incredibly important conference.

He would have been fucked, probably literally.

_Yes good job idiot, that will help to get your erection down._

Mokuba eyed him again, but this time, Kaiba managed to catch his gaze before he was kicked again.

“Leave me alone, I’m listening.”

Mokuba squinted his eyes at him, not unlike Yami, when he was angry, and Kaiba wanted to whimper.

_Just a little bit longer._

Suddenly, the voices in the room faded and everyone nodded.

Looking up, Kaiba noticed that a presentation plan for the conference had been established and they waited for his approval.

He got up dramatically, and slowly walked over to the presentation table.

While he confidently strut through the room, he read over the notes on the whiteboard. The plan looked half decent.

He stepped to the pult and, without acknowledging the timetable further,

told his employees: “5 minute break.”

They all nodded contently, some got up to hurry to the toilet or grab a glass of water. Kaiba stayed at the front, looking over his conference room.

From the outside, he looked like a hawk, surveying its prey.

No one knew, that he was still hovering behind the pult, because his pants’ fabric had rubbed deliciously over the sensitive flesh of his penis when he walked over, and Kaiba clenched his muscles angrily to redistribute the blood flow.

_Stupid erection. Why was he prohibited to wear undergarments today?_

_As if it wasn’t hard enough to concentrate on the bullshit with the prospect of seeing Yami soon._

_Hard._

His mind clung to the word like the fabric clung to his body.

\-------

Yami waited in the game shop.

Yugi sat behind the counter, sorting out some orders, while he leaned on the door to the studio.

“Soooo… are you looking forward to a fun weekend?”

Yugi’s eyes twinkled happily. He knew, that Yami accidentally double-booked himself and refused to back down from anyone.

“Yup.”

The Pharaoh didn’t feel like talking too much.

His week had been long and stressful, and there was no relief in sight.

Literally. Because he knew he had to control himself the whole time. And a weekend with Seto sounded tempting. Adding some more action to it by caring for Maximilian, too, had been stupid.

But now it was too late.

Yami grabbed his overnight bag, and flung it over his shoulder.

_Two minutes until the limo was supposed to arrive._

_And Seto was never late, if he could help it._

“Brother of mine… What are you going to do? Any specific plans?”

Yugi kept up his grin. He knew, that a formal address was important to Yami, so he loved to overdo it and piss him off.

“Pharaoooh…”, he kept chirping happily.

Yami gifted him with a cold, dead glare.

“Fuck off. Sort some cards. Play a mobile game. Suck a dick. Just… leave. Do something useful.”

Grinning wider, Yugi stepped closer.

“Sucking a dick is useful now? Is that why you recently-”

The Pharaoh was saved from whatever stupid comment his brother had to offer by the long, sleek limousine pulling up to the front of the game shop.

Walking up to it, he turned around and smiled devilishly at the smaller man.

“You could always ask Anzu, she'll help you find out. Just make sure she's thinking about the right twin, first.”

He swiftly shut the door, effectively silencing Yugi's angry cries of protest.

That felt good.

The little shit deserved a hit back.

Yami confidently walked up to the limo, waited until his door was opened, and he crouched inside.

“Hello Seto.”

But it stayed silent.

When his eyes readjusted to the darkness, he noticed, that he was alone.

“Master Kaiba will meet you at the airport.”

_Fine._

_That was fine._

But why did he feel so disappointed all of a sudden?

\--------

Kaiba sat anxiously in his private jet and waited.

It wasn’t going to be a long flight.

But the nervousness wasn’t coming from the flight, anyway.

He felt himself tugging on the skin on his hands, aimlessly pinching it in an attempt to regain control.

_That was absurd. The only reason he behaved like that was because he couldn’t wait to give up control._

Where was Yami?

He had sent the car on time.

What was holding the Pharaoh back?

Kaiba checked the time. The limousine was expected to arrive in two minutes.

WHY WASN’T IT ALREADY HERE?

_Breathe._

_No need to panic._

_Everything was going according to plan._

_He wasn’t even late yet._

Kaiba didn’t feel less nervous.

When the black limo arrived, perfectly on time, he jumped up from his seat. They had rushed Yami through the security check and boarding process, because it was a domestic flight and a private one nonetheless.

When he finally reached Kaiba, the taller man felt the overwhelming urge to drop to his knees and resume a submissive position.

The power of conditioning.

With all his might, Kaiba managed to remain upright.

He offered the other man his hand instead of his neck, and even though he towered over Yami, he felt dwarfed by his presence.

Yami took his hand with a friendly smile and shook it, aware of all the people around them. He had noticed Seto’s struggle to keep his posture and didn’t miss the way he discarded his eyes respectfully during the greeting.

The Pharaoh had to fight the urge to carefully tug on the sub’s day collar, hidden beneath his tie.

_Or to caress his cheek._

Kaiba led him into the plane and offered him a comfortable seat on one of the plush sofas in a private area. He slipped onto the free space next to Yami and felt himself tense.

_Was this okay?_

Yami smiled graciously towards him, and placed his hand between them on the sofa, his palm turned upright. It was in invitation, not an order.

Immediately longing for some touch, Kaiba grabbed at it happily, and squeezed the hand beneath his long, slender fingers. Yami turned their joined hands around, so that his was on top now, and the world was okay again.

\-------------

When they emerged after the short flight, Kaiba stepped through the plane’s doors first, and hated it. He wanted Yami to lead him, but he knew, that it was ridiculous to expect the dom to do so in an unknown situation, especially one Kaiba had went through hundreds of times.

So he descended the plane’s stairs with the Pharaoh in tow, and hurried to get both of them in one of the already waiting cars. Per Kaiba’s demand, the designated driver was immediately switched with Isono, who started to drive them to their prestigious hotel.

Kaiba found everything they needed in a prepared bag.

There were the conference plans, room descriptions, timetables and abstract listings, and of course the room cards for him, Yami, and his staff.

There had been an explicit form Yugi had sent him about how the Pharaoh was supposed to be treated during bookings for conferences.

Kaiba had to book an extra room for Yami and register him as a guest, to ensure his continuous presence. The form listed, at which hours the Pharaoh was at his disposal, and when he had free time to either sleep or do whatever he pleased. It further listed, how he had to behave in public and stated the paragraphs from his contract again, that were relevant.

Even though he had read it numerous times, he didn’t feel ready.

He handed Yami two key cards, one for his own room, and the spare card to Kaiba’s.

Yami looked confused at first, but understanding dawned on him soon and his handsome features moved into a proud smile. He closed his fingers tightly over the key cards, held them to his chest, and whispered: “Mine.”.

At those words, Kaiba could feel a fire rage through his body.

He offered his hand again, and the Pharaoh took it without hesitation.

They sat in peaceful silence, holding hands and looking like lovesick teenagers, but the innocent gesture held much more intent.

Kaiba could feel Yami trace his thumb over the bony back of his hand and it took him some seconds to register, that the dom was writing.

One word.

Four letters.

Over and over.

_“Mine.”_

_\-----------------_

Kaiba stepped into his suite and made room.

Yami followed and immediately made a beeline for the luxurious sofa in front of a ridiculously large TV. After him, Isono hurried in and dropped their luggage.

“Master Yami, should I bring your bags to your room?”

Yami smiled lightly over his shoulder.

“No thank you, they will be taken care off.”

Kaiba dismissed his staff for the night and hurried to take a shower.

When he stepped out of the bathroom, he found Yami sitting in the middle of the spacious bed. He was wearing his usual clothes, an expensive dark robe with beautiful golden jewelry, and looked absolutely at home between the luxurious goods around him.

Kaiba felt his mouth go dry, and even though he managed to stop his physical response in the evening, he fell to his knees now with an undignified grunt.

Yami got up and moved across the room with swift, purposeful steps.

“Where’s your collar, babe?”

The sub didn’t dare to lift his gaze.

“I left the day collar in the bathroom, because I wanted to offer you the leather one, your majesty.”

“And where is it?”

Now he had to move his head, so he could indicate the direction.

“Over there, Pharaoh. May I fetch it for you?”

“Go.”

Yami turned around and walked through the apartment, taking his time until he stopped in front of the floor length windows. Kaiba sat a meter behind him, waiting patiently for his attention. He was on his knees, naked except for the collar, that rested lightly on his legs.

“You know” – Yami touched the windows carefully – “that there are people all around us, right? Behind all those buildings, those windows, there are people. And this room is lit brightly. Nothing is obscuring the view. And yet, you sit there. One of the most famous faces in the country, naked on the floor, waiting for me, like a good dog.”

He turned around and smiled a dazzling smile, that lit up his whole face.

“My sweet boy.”

He stepped away from the glass panels and went over to cup Kaiba’s face.

“You’ve been such a good boy. Such a sunshine, all week.”

While he spoke, he leaned down to grab the gorgeous collar and fastened it around the sub’s neck.

“Send all your reports on time, fulfilled all your tasks, and even decided to take me out on an adventure. Do you feel like you deserve a reward?”

Kaiba wanted to nod. He wanted to nod so bad, because he HAD poured a lot of effort into his reports and tasks. Not to mention the costs of bringing Yami with him. But money was of no value to him if it meant having his Pharaoh around.

“That is up to you, your Majesty. I’m yours and you get to decide about me.”

Yami ruffled his hair in a well-known manner.

“Such a good boy! Look at you! You came so far. I’m so proud of you, Seto.”

He fought the strong urge to kiss him.

“See, love, I feel like you deserve a reward. And you get to pick it, even!

So here is the deal.”

Yami sat down on his knees in front of Kaiba, mirroring his position.

He reached out his hand to caress the other man’s cheek, the latter one readily leaning into his touch.

“Option one, I’ll play with you tonight, and I promise I’ll make you cum at least twice. You will be a begging, squirming mess, but I’ll allow you relief eventually, and it will feel like the best orgasm you ever had. You’ve waited a whole week for this, after all.”

Kaiba’s eyes flew up, staring disbelievingly at Yami, before he remembered his position and cast his gaze back on the Pharaohs torso. Yami smiled happily and continued to stroke his face.

“Option two, I’ll put you in a chastity cage with no prospect of relieve at all, maybe for the whole weekend. But I’ll sleep in your bed, and I’ll hold you at night. Your choice.”

Now the sub couldn’t stop himself from staring at his dom again.

How could he offer such a cruel choice?

Kaiba stared down at himself and was met with the sight of his pitifully leaking erection, and suddenly, the answer was simple.

\---------------

Yami woke up in the middle of the night, startled from sudden movement next to him. Kaiba was cramping in his dreams.

He moved over and snuggled the much taller man to his chest.

Yami’s attempts to spoon him were futile, but he refused to give up on them.

Hugging him from behind, Yami curled his hand into Seto’s chest, scratching his pecks lightly with his short nails.

“There, there. I’m here. Wake up. I’m here, love.”

He moved along the much taller body, almost crawling under the bedsheets in an attempt to reach the other man’s ear.

“I’m here. Calm down, dear. No one can touch you now. You belong to me. I’m here. I promise, I’ll take care of you.”

When Kaiba awoke from his nightmare, it wasn’t with a startled gasp in the middle of the cold night. He wasn’t alone for the first time in many years.

And no one except Mokuba had ever seen him like that.

But when he registered the warmth seeping into him from Yami’s comfortable body, and when he heard the words he’d been awoken with, he knew, that he had made the right choice earlier.

For the first time in his life, someone was there to catch him as he fell.

Kaiba leaned his head back, and soft, warm lips found his neck. Yami kissed along his jaw, over his neck, across his shoulders. The soft touches didn’t even feel sexual, despite their normally erotic nature.

When Yami wound his muscular arm across Kaiba’s chest, he felt safe.

\-----------

When Kaiba awoke for the second time, it was early morning.

A soft light flooded through the big windows and the suite was caught in a moment between night and day.

The sun hadn’t risen yet, but the stars were gone.

But nothing of this was responsible for him waking up.

That was solemnly caused by the hand between his legs.

He felt himself panting hard, as his cock strained against the cage it was locked in, clearly getting too big for the small enclosure.

“Your majesty… please…”

The hoarse voice, dripping with honey and naughty promises, was coming directly from behind his ear.

“What are you begging for, little slut?”

Kaiba could feel Yami’s own erection pressing on his back, and he felt dizzy.

Was he dreaming?

No, the hand kneading his balls was absolutely, definitely there.

“Please, Pharaoh. Please!”

Yami smiled mischievously.

“What is it you want, babe? Tell me.” He let his fingers glide softly over the cage, touching heated flesh through the metal enclosure.

“Pharaoh, please, please let me cum. Please. Please I’m begging you, your majesty!”

Suddenly, the warm hand around his private parts retreated and Kaiba wanted to shrivel up and die. But seconds later, Yami’s warm digits were back, holding the key to the cage and unlocking it.

“… Your Majesty?”

Kaiba turned around, not yet believing in his luck.

But Yami grinned happily at him, took his hand, and wrapped the long, boney fingers around his dick. Then, he placed his own hand on top, and guided Kaiba softly over his rapidly hardening erection.

He leaned in and whispered raunchily: “You made the right choice yesterday, baby boy. You chose me over your own pleasure. So, I’m going to reward you now, again. Cum for me, Seto.”

The sub didn’t need to hear that twice, and with a parted mouth and glazed eyes, he turned to stare at Yami while they both stroked his aching dick.

It didn’t take much longer, a few seconds and a hard grab with rough strokes later, Kaiba cried out, as he released what his body had held back for a week.

His mind spun pleasantly and his whole body twitched over and over, while Yami retracted his hand and instead started to move his damp hair out of his eyes.

As Kaiba lay there, spent and happy beyond his own imagination, Yami murmured more to himself than to his sub:

“Amazing.”

The conference started early, at least for Yami’s taste. Kaiba was used to getting up at ridiculous hours, so he was already wide awake when they marched down the route from the elevators to the giant congress room.

The host greeted them at 8AM, introducing the panels that were to come. A timetable was projected behind the speakers, and Yami felt himself get tired just looking at the topics.

He promised himself to have as much fun as possible without interfering with Kaiba’s work. When half of the introduction was over, and finally time for breakfast neared, he felt his phone vibrate softly against his leg.

Kaiba looked over and scrunched up his brows, clearly discontent.

Yami moved his hand between both of their legs, and softly grazed Kaiba with his knuckles.

“Down, boy.” :

It was a soft whisper, more a joke than an order, but Kaiba immediately stiffened and looked down. Yami wanted to hold his hand so bad.

“Everyone else is using their phones, too. Is it okay if I check my messages?”

Kaiba felt incredibly weird, having Yami ask him for permission, but he was also aware that for everyone out here, Yami was his employee or business partner, not his dom.

“Go ahead.”

Kaiba was well aware, that his problem wasn’t Yami using a phone in general, but knowing that he’d text with someone else. 

Yami looked at him apologetically.

“This is business… “

Now he had Kaiba’s undivided interest.

The CEO looked at him, pointed at the podium and at himself and said:

“No. THIS. Is business.” Kaiba leaned in very close and whispered into Yami’s ear: “With all due respect, your Majesty, I’m your business now.”

Yami stilled in his movements.

Then, he turned his head to Kaiba, causing the latter one’s lips to glide over Yami’s cheek. Anyone looking at them now would start to doubt their professional relationship.

“The fuck did you just say?”

Shit.

Kaiba cursed at himself.

He might have been wearing an expensive suit, sitting in a congress room, about to discuss the cutting-edge technology for the next years with the leading personas of his field…

… but beneath his tie, there was still a thin day collar, burning into his skin right now, set on fire by Yami’s heated crimson eyes.

“Nothing, I just – “

He was interrupted, when someone behind him cleared his throat obnoxiously loud.

“I just meant that – “

Again, and this time more aggressive.

Kaiba turned around and the middle-aged man behind him took on an ashen color, when he realized, whom he had tried to silence.

“If you interrupt me once more, I’m going to buy your house and kick you out.”

“Y-Yes Kaiba-sama.”

The brunet had half a mind to tell the rude intruder to fuck off, but Yami was already angry, and the Pharaoh’s mood wouldn’t lighten if he was disrespectful.

Moreover, he had just discovered a much bigger problem.

Yami was still staring at him, waiting for an answer, when Kaiba turned to the dom, and hissed with anger in his voice: “Was _that,_ what you meant with business?”

Yami was taken aback by the question and furrowed his brows.

“What?”

Kaiba exposed his upper lip in disgust when he sneered: “”What?” You should better ask: “Who”. But I guess you already know the answer.”

His rational mind informed him, that it was a stupid idea to talk to his dom like that. But his emotional mind was doing somersaults of anger and stomped his foot, pouting.

_He’s mine! He just doesn’t know it yet! But he’s mine!_

From the corner of his eye, Kaiba noticed Yami turning around to scan the room for the source of the turmoil.

He twisted himself around and saw the men behind him duck, but it wasn’t him that had infuriated Kaiba so much.

A few rows behind them sat a very happy, excitedly waving Pegasus.

Kaiba turned wide-eyed to Yami, but the dom had already raised his hand in greeting, and, oh fuck.

Waved back.

\-------------

After the first hour of painstaking greetings was over, Kaiba just wanted to grab Yami and hurry off to the breakfast buffet.

But the smaller man had other plans.

He got up and moved along the lines of seats with surprisingly quick steps.

Even if he had incredibly long legs, Kaiba needed to hurry to catch up with the other.

When he finally reached Yami, his worst nightmare had turned out to be true.

He was happily shaking Pegasus’ hand, greeting his colleagues like old friends.

_Of course. They must have been on multiple conferences together._

_Why had he never seen him before?_

Kaiba stepped closer and regretted it immediately, when the high-pitched sing song abused his ear.

“KAIBA-BOY!”

He wanted to flinch at the nerve grating noise, but he would have never granted the other man this type of satisfaction.

Instead, Yami reached around him and pulled him into the circle of businessmen that had formed around two of the biggest faces of modern gaming.

Kaiba leaned into the touch and smiled arrogantly at Pegasus, almost draping himself over Yami.

“Pegasus.”

The other man answered him with a toothpaste commercial smile.

“I should have expected to see you here!”- and, turning to Yami – “And you, too, when you said you’d be busy this weekend.” He winked at Kaiba, clearly trying to rub in, that he had casual contact to Yami.

Yami just smiled politely and looked from one man to the other.

Kaiba, who never stepped down from a challenge, boldly wrapped his arm around Yami.

“Well, he’s here with me, so why would he tell _you_?”

Pegasus didn’t miss a beat, clutching his hand to his heart in mock shock and turned to Yami: “You didn’t tell him?”.

“Tell me what, exactly?”

Kaiba glanced along his arm, directly into Yami’s face, who actually averted his eyes for a second.

_Was this shame?_

Before Yami could answer, Pegasus bulldozed over them and said: “That he will be sharing his precious time, of course, Kaiba-boy!”

Yami closed his eyes.

_Shit._

This wasn’t how he had planned to tell Kaiba about his other duties.

He didn’t deserve this.

He’d been a good sub. Made the right decisions.

Even paid double the normal price.

Yami knew, he had fucked up.

Next to him, Kaiba stiffened.

Yami could feel the tension radiate through his body, when his hand grabbed unexpectedly hard down on Yami’s side.

Kaiba felt his world spin.

_Share his attention?_

_And with fucking Pegasus?_

_No way._

He laughed a bleak smile and again looked along his arm.

But to his surprise, he didn’t manage to catch Yami’s eyes, because the other one was averting his gaze.

_Definitely shame._

_So Pegasus was telling the truth._

“Kaiba-boy, why don’t we leave and grab something to eat? I’m sure, our mutual friend is hungry.” Pegasus purred the sentence, not once actually looking at Kaiba, but instead seeking Yami’s attention.

Yami caught himself.

“Thank you for the generous offer, Maximilian, but we’ll need a minute to talk in private.”

Pegasus’ smile turned into a devilish grin, no friendliness detectable anymore. 

“So you really didn’t tell him. This explains his look of horror. Well, I’m sure the two of you have to talk through… a lot of things. Pharaoh, if he’s disrespectful, let me know.”

He whirled around without another word of good bye and hurried away with his entourage, without a doubt searching for a bar that would serve wine for breakfast.

Kaiba stood rooted to the spot. For a second, his hazy brain asked, if he wanted to wonder about the fact Pegasus had called him “Pharaoh” in front of all the other people, but then his logical mind kicked in and he realized what they had talked about. 

Without realizing it, Yami had snuggled closer into the half hug the sub had provided him with.

_Shit, this was about to get nasty._

_How was he supposed to explain to Kaiba, that he would play with another man on THEIR weekend, especially after Yugi forced him to pay more?_

_Shit shit shit shit shit._

Kaiba looked down.

What he saw, was Yami, almost snuggled into him and far away from an appropriate business-partner position.

He gulped hard.

Yami had betrayed him. The man, who demanded complete honesty, had lied to him. Kaiba ignored the nagging voice that told him:

_“It’s not a lie if he didn’t say anything.”_

Instead, he moved his shoulder almost violently, effectively shaking Yami off. Without as much as a word, he turned and left.

He stormed along the hallway, forgotten every thought about breakfast.

Kaiba just wanted to leave. Go into his suite and bury himself underneath a pile of blankets and cry.

_He’d been betrayed._

_This is what he got for trusting an almost stranger._

_Nothing good ever came out of vulnerability and openness._

He thought, Yami was different. But it was easy to see now, wasn’t it?

Yami had failed to inform him. And it’s not like he hadn’t had a chance. They’d been together since yesterday evening.

He just didn’t _care._

Yami had made his choice, immediately running off to Pegasus at the first chance. He knew, that Pegasus was here. Had Kaiba with his plane just been a matter of transportation?

And it didn’t stop there. Despite his frankly ridiculous pay, Yami had received a hotel room and all kinds of included service, all at Kaiba’s expense.

So Yami was just in it for the money, after all.

Kaiba huffed, when he realised he had reached the door to his suite.

Fuck it.

Fuck this conference.

Fuck everything.

He’d just stay here all day and not give a fuck anymore.

Kaiba curled himself up under his blankets, just as he had intended.

Suddenly, there was a click.

The door swung open and Kaiba cursed himself.

Yami had a keycard to this suite, too. And he had no one to blame but himself.

“Seto…”

“Get out.”

Yami stepped further into the room, careful not to startle Kaiba, but at the same time ignoring his wish for solitude.

“Seto…”

“Get. Out. Go and entertain Pegasus.”

He spat the words like venom.

Yami sighed. Then: “Okay.”

He turned around and began to retreat, when Kaiba called out.

“Wait!”

The Pharaoh stopped, looking weary. He felt tired.

“For what?”

A bit of hope rose in Yami. Kaiba had tried to kick him out, an understandable reaction, but now, he had stopped him from leaving. Maybe there was a chance to actually talk this out.

Yami was startled, when something hit the floor in front of him.

  
A collar.

Kaiba had taken off his day collar and flung it across the room, like it meant nothing. Did he not know, that a collar among sub and dom was the same kind of promise as a wedding band was for lovers?

When Yami looked up from the small item, he found, that Kaiba had curled up even more, hiding from him and the world.

He wanted to take care of him so bad.

Wanted to sit down and smooth his hair, telling him, that it was a misunderstanding.

But Kaiba’s words and actions were clear.

He was not interested.

Yami straightened his spine, standing as tall as he could, even though Kaiba couldn’t see him. He knew, the effects would be noticeable in his voice. “If you want to talk, you know how to reach me.”

He left the collar on the floor, pretending to not have noticed the affronting gesture. “This is a misunderstanding. When you are ready to speak about it, let me know. Until then, I’m going to give you space.”

Then, he turned and walked to the door.

Kaiba felt like shit.

The idea of Yami going away was suddenly not so tempting anymore.

But it was too late, wasn’t it? He had thrown his collar, the most disrespectful gesture he could think of.

If he wanted to correct this, right now was his only chance.

He knew, once Yami left, he’d be too proud, too hurt to approach him again.

When he finally wrenched his voice out of his lips, it was almost a whisper. “Pharaoh…? “

Click.

\------------------

Pegasus sat at one of the small bistros surrounding the main conference halls, a glass of red wine in his hand and sipped on it.

He had to wonder.

Had he overstepped a boundary?

Not for Yami, Yami would be fine. He knew, the Pharaoh had a thick skin and enough charm to get himself out of complicated situations.

But with Kaiba…

Pegasus knew, how much the younger man struggled to let his guard down. He had brought Yami along, a sure sign they were getting along well.

Had he ruined that?

Despite what both of them liked to suggest, he got along with Kaiba.

Pegasus was aware of their similarities.

Despite their love for games, their talent in business and their enjoyment of technology, the tendency to submit to the same man was just one more passion they shared.

And Pegasus liked to tease Kaiba about those things.

But this was different.

Just when he wondered, if he had seen and heard the last of them at this conference, he saw Yami approach him, a stern look on his face.

\-----------

Kaiba walked after the shorter man, quick to follow.

When Yami stopped opposite of Pegasus, he made an effort to step closer. Close enough for bystanders to wonder.  


_“What is it? I’m here, Seto.”_

_“Please don’t leave me.”_

_Silence._

_Then:_

_“I gave you my word to never leave you, love”_

_“I threw the collar.”_

_“I noticed.”_

_“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.”_

_A sob broke through the blankets._

_Then, the bed dipped, as Yami sat down next to him._

_His hand found Kaiba’s hair beneath the blanket, offering warmth and comfort._

_“I’m sorry. I should have told you.”_

_Kaiba swallowed hard._

_“You don’t need to justify your actions… “_

_“No I don’t. But I want to. I care for you. How can I convince you of that?_

_Keep your money. I don’t want it, if that’s what upsets you.“_

_“It’s not the money… it’s just… please. Stay.”_

_Yami had gotten up and he felt his heart sink, but the other man just grabbed the collar from the floor, dusted it off, and looked stern._

_“Don’t do this ever again.”_

_“I won’t. I promise.”_

_And the Pharaoh had put it back on his neck and the world was better._

Kaiba shook his head.

He had never been interested in the past.

The future was, what counted. And he’d prove to Yami, that he was better than Pegasus. That there was no need to turn to the other one.

Resolve stronger than ever, Kaiba had decided to be the best sub he could, or at least better than Pegasus, and win over Yami’s heart instead of sobbing like a child.

_What had gotten into him?_

_He was Seto Kaiba._

_He didn’t cry. He got up, and challenged, whatever dared to step into his way._

_He’d eat Pegasus alive._

He inched even closer, until large parts of his front touched Yami.

_This was better. Good luck, Pegasus._

Yami felt the movement, and his body heated up fast, as Seto’s warmth seeped into him. Normally, he wouldn’t allow him to touch his Pharaoh like that, not without being allowed to, but this was different.

Instead, he leaned back slightly to reassure his sub.

_“It was never my intention to book two clients, and I’m sorry, I should have told you. I honestly forgot until I got the message this morning. That’s why I wanted to check my phone. I never meant to hurt you and I’m sorry if I did.”_

_“So you don’t choose him over me?”_

_“Never. I’m here with you. I can’t just ignore Maximilian. But I’d never choose him over you. Are you okay with me texting him?”_

_“... Yes your majesty…”_

_“Are you sure?”_

_“Yes. I will be a good boy. I will make you proud.”_

_He pulled the blanket aside and planted a gentle kiss on Seto’s forehead._

_“Mine.”_

Pegasus just stared at the pair in front of him and grinned.

The game was on.

“Oh I’m so glad to see that you are back! I was thinking about sending someone to look for you! Kaiba-boy, I hear you stormed off like a toddler with a temper tantrum, are you okay?” 1:0 Pegasus.

Kaiba wanted to lash out, but Yami moved his open palm, trying to hold him back discreetly. However, he severely misjudged the height difference and put it on his crotch instead of his stomach.

The taller man immediately refocused his attention, looked down his long body to the hand on his dick and turned his head back up to grin mischievously at Pegasus. 1:1.

Yami closed his eyes for a second and extracted his hand from it’s compromising position. This wasn’t good.

He turned apologetically to Kaiba, but when he faced him, he noticed the shit eating grin spread across the subs face. He looked down and winked at Yami, who in turned furrowed his brows. When he turned around to Pegasus however, he knew, why Kaiba had been grinning.

The silver haired man had been smiling to himself just seconds ago, but now, his face was morphed into an angry frown.

Kaiba leaned over Yami’s shoulder, diminishing what was left of his private space, and whispered: “Breakfast, Pharaoh? I’ll even get them to bring it to _our_ bed.” 2:1 Kaiba.

Yami tensed, realizing what was going on.

“You can have breakfast in _your_ bed all you want, Seto, I’ll eat here.”

He turned around, effectively stopping their bodies from touching, and walked away into the direction of the dining room.

“Wait!”, both subs yelled, jumping into action and running after their Pharaoh.

“Don’t you have your own date to bring, fucking bitch?”, Kaiba hissed while walking, catching up to Yami with long paces.

“I would have brought someone. Someone I’ve known for years, actually. Someone I have an intimate and loving relationship with. But sadly, work got in his way in the last minute, so he isn’t fully focusing on me alone. Therefore, I brought my wife instead. That’s right, Kaiba-boy. I’m not only loved by the people I pay.” Ouch. 2:2. 

Both of them caught up with Yami almost at the same time.

It was a ridiculous sight, two of the most famous men in the world, running after a small, unknown person with an angry look on his face.

“Pharaoh, might I offer - ”

“Your Majesty, we could - ”

Both of them glared at the other.

“Fuck off”, Kaiba hissed. “This is my time with him. I read the conference contract. You can have him in his free time! Go and fuck your wife. Or make her fuck you. Don’t know what you’re into, don’t care. But right now, you’ve got no place in here, and if the Pharaoh is true to his word, he will tell you so.” Kaiba grinned arrogantly, looking down, actually looking _down,_ on Yami and waited. 3:2 Kaiba.

Yami hated every second of this completely unnecessary piss contest.

But Kaiba was right, this was his time and he was a man of honour.

“Urgh. He’s right Maximilian. I’ll see you later. Please leave now, I’m sure Cecille will be delighted about your company.”

Pegasus huffed in an offended manner, threw his hair back and grazed Kaiba with an angry stare, before he turned around and walked away.

Match winner: Kaiba.

\--------------------------

After breakfast, both CEO’s had to attend panels, and Yami felt like he was spinning. He tried to satisfy everyone’s needs, but also he didn’t want to get sucked into their fight.

Both of them were behaving like children.

Both of them were easy to handle on their own, compliant and thoughtful subs, respectful and sensitive. But as soon as they met each other, it turned into a fight.

At some point, Yami realised they were keeping scores and texted insults at each other, so he had to force them to stop messaging the other one.

This was the worst.

Normally he enjoyed conferences a lot, because he got to see different cities, ate and slept in nice places and had a lot of fun.

But this time, he didn’t feel very dominant.

This time, he was a toy between two greedy kids, tugging on him, trying to rip out his limbs. When finally the evening came, Yami was fucking tired.

He knew, that both subs probably expected him to play with them.

Kaiba because of what had happened earlier and based on the fees, and Pegasus because Kaiba had had a claim to most of Yami’s time during the day.

But Yami didn’t feel like playing.

Yami felt like sleeping.

Alone.

When the last discussion was over, and all that was left for the day was the big dinner in an hour, Yami excused himself from both subs.

He needed to be alone for a moment.

_Just the dinner. He had to manage just the dinner._

Yami stepped into the shower and tried to drown out the day.

The presented technology was so complex, he didn’t understand most of it. And even though he was smart and picked up new skills quite fast, no one wanted to hear the opinion of a nobody.

The last conferences with Pegasus had been entertaining.

The sub often talked to him, explained him stuff, or tried to impress Yami. He had been obedient and submissive, just like he was supposed to be.

But today, both men had been terrible to handle. They would discuss orders, demand equality where there couldn’t be any, and asked for his attention at all times. Additionally, they were bragging nonstop.

It was infuriating.

The heat from the shower calmed Yami down a bit.

He could do that. He was a professional, for fucks sake!

And if he had to yell at them in front of everyone at the gala dinner, he would.

Emerging from the shower, he toweled himself dry.

When he stepped in front of the mirror, he gave himself a pep talk.

_He could do that. It would be fun._

_Both of his subs had to be dominant in their field of work._

_This was fine._

_He knew that, it wasn’t a surprise._

_They were parts of rivaling companies._

_It was their job to fight for the pole position in everything._

_Yami would endure it, and then go home and shoot himself._

_Not for real. But he’d probably have to get black out drunk with Mai to get over this._

That was a good plan.

He’d stick to that.

Survive the fucking conference, fly home, get drunk with Mai, visit Yugi, throw up in his sink. The idea filled Yami with glee.

_Serves him right. Piece of trash._

But for now, he had to stay sober and in control.

He got dressed, choosing one of the most expensive suits he owned.

_His whole outfit probably cost less than Kaiba’s watch, but no one could say he wasn’t trying to look his best next to his boyfr-_

_CLIENT._

_Client, oh god, where did this other word come from?_

Mortified, Yami stared at himself.

He wanted to apply his typical dark liner, maybe some mascara and eyeshadow for good measure to cover up the traces of last night’s little sleep. But this wasn’t the tomb and male makeup wasn’t exactly the dress code for gala dinners.

_Would Kaiba let him wear makeup if they were casually dating and on an outing?_

FUCKING SHIT.

_HE HAD TO GET HIMSELF TOGETHER!_

\-----------------

Kaiba stood in front of Yami’s door.

_What took him so long?_

He had been waiting for a few minutes already, and the passing guests stared at him uncomfortably. No one was used to Seto Kaiba waiting for ANYONE.

But suddenly, the door opened, and Yami stood there, looking every inch like the royalty he claimed to be.

The door opening in front of him and Yami waiting with _that_ knowing smirk immediately triggered Kaiba’s knee-fall reflex, and Yami smiled happily, noticing it.

He stepped out of the suite and twirled, showing off the fitted, black and gold suit, a business replica of his robe.

He whispered in a husky voice: “Like what you see, baby boy?”, and Kaiba knew, that waiting for him had been worth it.

He leaned down, almost bowing to the smaller man, and whispered back: “You are perfection, Pharaoh.”

Yami grazed him with a content smile, before both of them took off towards the dining area.

It was an even bigger room than those they had previously been in, stuffed with giant, round tables with expensive silverware and even more expensive wine.

Kaiba noticed Yami’s eyes flickering through the room, and softly bumped him, trying to reassure him of his presence in a discreet way.

“Well Seto, I hope you’re going to pay for this. After all, you’re a m-”

“Oh please, your majesty. Don’t say man. How terribly unfeminist. Pegasus would never get to pay for his dates!”

“I was going to say millionaire.” 

Kaiba looked affronted. When he spoke, his voice was clipped.

“Sorry to disappoint you, but… I’m a billionaire.”

Yami stared at him for a second, then rolled his eyes.

Suddenly he didn’t feel so bad about him paying his fees double anymore.

“Seriously? Whom did you have to kill for that money?”

“No one. My “father” killed himself when I bested him.”

_Fuck._

“Oh god I’m sorry, I didn’t know - “

“Don’t be, he was an abusive asshole. It was all over the news, though.”

“When?”

“Around seven years ago.”

“I was in school back then… you know… at 17…”

“Me, too. I was 16. I just so happened to own a multi million dollar company, too.”

They reached their table.

Before Yami could settle down, Kaiba stepped around him, and pulled out the chair. Yami smiled lightly, and sat down.

Both of them ignored the confused looks of everyone around them.

No one would dare to say anything, anyway.

Dinner went by in a rush, the food and beverages were delicious, the company pleasant.

From time to time, Yami texted Pegasus instructions on what to eat and drink and when, but Kaiba tried to ignore it.

His urge to grab the dom’s hand was strong, but his mind was stronger.

He’d do this. He’d be a good sub.

However, all his good intentions were ruined, when dinner was over, and the guests started to move freely between tables.

Kaiba managed to talk to some important people, striking up a deal or two, when a well known face appeared in front of him.

As Pegasus sat down, next to Yami, not him, Kaiba felt his resolve crumble.

“Fuck off, old man.”

He glared at Pegasus, determined not to let him ruin his precious hours with Yami.

“Language!” came in unison, both voices from his right.

He stared first at Pegasus, trying to drive daggers through him with looks alone, and then trained his eyes on Yami.

“Sorry, your majesty.”

“Sooooo... “ - Pegasus chirped happily - “are we going to do something fun tonight, Pharaoh?”

Kaiba growled at him.

There were no words. He growled like a dog and for a second, Yami expected him to actually snarl.

Kaiba moved his hand on the table, really wanting to put it over his dom’s, to lay claim to him, but knew he would be punished badly. 

“What is it, Kaiba-boy? I’m sure, you read the conference contract. The Pharaoh’s working hours are from 10:00AM to 6:00PM. So he’s free now, at least.”

Pegasus winked at Yami.

The latter one just rolled his eyes.

_And here he sat and had actually allowed himself to think the evening could be enjoyable._

Yami thought about downing the wine in the middle of the table and going to bed. Then, they could fight it out themselves. He had no interest in getting between them.

But he also felt bad about the situation, since he was partly at fault.

_Maybe not only partly._

_Damn. Why was he so desirable?_

He grinned to himself, which both men immediately misunderstood.

Kaiba puffed up his cheeks.

“So it’s true, Pharaoh? You just sat through your time with me?”

“Of course he just sat through it, you can’t honestly think you are enjoyable company? In a business setting, no less? He might like your company in a circus, where you get to show off your feisty pets, but here? What have you even done for him today?”

“ENOUGH.”

Yami slammed his palms on the table, startling not only his conversation partners, but also several other people around them.

“One of you is going to book a remote room now. Preferably with noise cancellation. I don’t care WHO does it, I don’t care HOW you do it, but do it NOW.”

Pegasus and Kaiba stared at each other for a second.

Suddenly, both jumped up and ran for the reception desk.

\--------------------

It had taken some time to find an appropriate room.

And it had taken even longer to book it.

The receptionist was hardly to blame, though.

She was facing two excited, bitchy, famous men, yelling at her to find a room she knew nothing about. But when another, smaller man stepped up to the counter, it suddenly got more quiet and respectful.

Within minutes, she had managed to sort out what they expected.

A reclusive, mostly soundproof room.

Sure, it wasn’t big, but it didn’t need to be.

Yami rushed both of his clients in, trying not to be too obvious.

“Both of you. Strip. Now. Clothes on a pile. I will inspect them.”

They obliged happily when it came to their suits, but as soon as it went to their undies, Kaiba realised he wasn’t sure if he was ready.

Pegasus had meanwhile taken all his clothes off, and was already stacking them neatly.

Kaiba moved closer to the small room’s edge and cornered himself, keeping his back to the walls to hide the older marks and scars from hungry eyes.

He felt agitated.

“Pharaoh…”

Yami looked up and stared at him, his face morphed into a mask of unhappiness, because Kaiba was taking forever.

“What is it, slut?”

He felt the hairs on his neck stand up.

The contract disclaimed, that the Pharaoh had to discuss third party activities with him first. He could demand to speak in private to Yami. He could get out of this situation. But did he want to?

Next to him, Pegasus was already kneeling naked on the floor.

He wore a thin day collar, must have hidden it under the tie, too.

Kaiba could imagine, to be there on the floor with him.

But was he comfortable?

Had he trust his dom to decide for him?

“I… This is a third party activity.”

Pegasus looked up at him and hissed “You can leave if you want, then it’s only the two of -”

“Shush.” - Yami looked at him with anger in his eyes. - “He is right.”

Kaiba was pleasantly surprised, he didn’t expect that.

“Do you want to leave, Seto?”

“I… don’t know? I don’t think so?”

“Is there something else?”

Silence.

Kaiba didn’t feel comfortable to talk about his body in front of Pegasus, but he didn’t intend to leave Yami to him, either.

_Don’t dwell on the past._

_What counts is the future._

_Who cared if he saw his scars? Pegasus knew Gozaburo._

_It wasn’t a secret, what an abusive asshole he was._

“No, your majesty.”

Kaiba quickly undressed and knelt down, too.

Both were in similar positions now, naked and leaned forward, hands pressed to their thighs and eyes on the floor.

Letting go was harder for Kaiba with another person in the room.

Pegasus on the other hand was almost completely in his headspace.

He had done this countless times, with different amounts of people in the room and in all sorts of rooms.

The only thing that mattered to him, was Yami.

At least he had the same opinion as Kaiba on this.

The Pharaoh himself was not so relaxed.

He had been holding back all day, because it would have been unprofessional to go all out in front of everyone.

But now, he had the odd pair in front of him, naked and at least partially afraid.

He started to circle them, sometimes individually, sometimes both of them.

“You have been very bad boys. Both of you. I’d like to say that I’m proud of you, but I honestly can’t. Seto, we had all this time together, but you focused more on Maximilian than on me. What happened? You promised to be a good boy this morning. Don’t you care about that anymore? Is the rivalry more important? And you, Maximilian. After all this time? Are you serious? You should know better than to pick this kind of fight! Have some respect for yourself, you don’t need to put anyone down to appear likeable! You should have taken the chance to be a good example and to show him the way, but what you did was childish.”

Both men didn’t dare to raise their eyes and look, because they knew they had fucked up.

“You didn’t even need me here. All you did was focus on each other, picking petty fights, and pushing and pulling on me like I’m a ragdoll! Has at least one of you understood the concept of submission? I don’t think so! What a waste of time and resources.”

He had half a mind to leave and let them sit there naked on the floor, but he intended to _really_ drive home the message.

“So, which of you disgraces wants to start? I’ll give you a hint. It won’t get easier.”

No one spoke. Both tried to figure out a strategy.

Would it be better to wait and see, what Yami had planned? Or should they begin, motivated by the Pharaoh’s warning?

Yami looked across the room and watched their conflicted faces.

“Fine you cowards. I will leave the room now to fetch some items. When I’m back, you better have decided who starts. And don’t you dare look up or talk!”

He left, taking the key card with him, and slammed the door shut, trying to channel his anger.

Both men sat on the floor dumbstruck.

_What the hell had just happened?_

_And how were they supposed to solve it?_

Kaiba was the first one moving.

He sat up a bit straighter, but kept his gaze lowered. Then, he cleared his throat, raising his voice at the end to make it sound like a question.

_What will we do?_

Pegasus answered with a scruff. “Hmpf.”

_Why do you think I know?_

Kaiba tapped twice on his legs in short intervals.

“I”

Would Pegasus understand Morse code?

Pegasus scratched the floor once, tapped, waited, and scratched three more times.

“NO”

Kaiba tapped, scratched twice, waited, tapped four times and waited, and scratch-tap-scratch-scratched again.

“WHY”

Two scratches, followed by a pause, and a short tap.

“ME”

Kaiba stubbornly repeated, what he had tapped before.

“WHY”

Now, Pegasus’ movements grew frantic.

Tap. Pause.

Scratch tap tap scratch. Pause.

Tap scratch scratch tap. Pause.

Tap. Pause.

Tap scratch tap. Pause.

Scratch. Pause.

Tap tap. Pause.

Tap tap tap. Pause.

Tap.

“EXPERTISE”

Now, Kaiba was thinking hard. This could be a trick. Why would Pegasus try to help him? But did he really have different options?

Didn’t look like it.

Three scratches, a pause, and a scratch, a tap and another scratch later, the discussion was over.

“OK”

\------------------

It had been going on for what felt like hours.

Yami had entered with a big bag of toys and Kaiba had no idea how he’d gotten them through security. Maybe they were new. Yami had spent an hour alone. But he had just assumed the other man wanted to rest.

The Pharaoh however didn’t seem like he had rested.

Yami was tired, but resolute.

These idiots would pay for ruining his day.

He had been edging them on for an eternity, expertely mixing pleasure and pain, until both men were begging at his feet.

They had lost all inhibitions, all content thoughts.

They wanted to cum and be comforted.

But Yami didn’t feel like that.

Not after they had treated him like shit all day.

He had told them his ideas.

“I want to see, which one of the two of you is the better sub. Prove to me, that you are worth my time and effort.”

After that, he had progressively started to work them up, offering more and more complex tasks, until he was testing their soft limits.

_Who would falter first?_

Both subs were extremely stubborn.

Both were extremely proud.

And even though they had been competing all day, and they were competing still, both focused on each other, trying to best the other one.

Yami was incredibly bored.

Whatever challenge he gave them, they fought each other, not their own limits. He wanted for them to grow, to improve, not to exploit themselves for pride.

This was turning really frustrating really quick.

So Yami did, what first came to his mind, to decide about a winner.

He dispassionately spat on the floor and raised an eyebrow.

Kaiba stared incredulously at him, but it didn’t matter, because the second Yami had looked up, Pegasus had jumped forward and happily lapped up whatever wetness had covered the dirty floor.

Staring at the other sub with the feeling of churning disgust, Kaiba addressed Yami. “No exchange of body fluids!”

Yami shrugged.

“This wasn’t an exchange. Consider it a donation. Moreover, I didn’t order you to do anything with it.”

“But Pegasus licked it up!”

“I know. Isn’t he a good boy? Now move. Sit in that corner, while we play. And don’t you dare look away.”

Kaiba felt his dread rising.

\-----------

_Finally._

Finally something new had happened. Yami trailed after Kaiba, who was crawling on the floor. The Pharaoh directed him to a small table, and looped his hands around, so he could bind Kaiba with beautiful handcuffs.

They were matte gold and looked every inch as expensive as they were, Yami loved them dearly.

They were very sturdy, but not metal, so he could bring them to a plane ride with him.

When Kaiba was secured, he made his way back to Pegasus, who was almost one body length away.

“Get on all fours. Lower your shoulders until they are almost on the ground, ass up in the air.”

Pegasus obliged happily.

When the Pharaoh moved over to him, he had a small assortment of toys with him. 

Without as much as a word, he grabbed around Pegasus, and slipped a cock ring over his already rock hard dick.

Then, Yami grabbed lube and a quite impressive plug. He combined both, and softly inserted it in Pegasus’ ass, effectively spreading him wide.

The other man groaned lewdly, already riled up by previous administrations, and Kaiba muttered unhappily from his place in the corner.

_Perfect._

Yami felt content with his work.

This was far better than being pushed around.

Both men were panting now,

And the Pharaoh felt the thickness of lust in the room.

He took out a new flogger, and weighed it in his hands, giving himself a few test slaps.

Without stalling any further, he started to let the pretty knots at the tail's ends dance over the skin.

Pegasus moaned loudly, and Yami was tempted to gag him, but then he realised, how much the sounds riled up the other sub and he decided to go with it.

Rocking back and forth, Pegasus tried to ride the waves of pain and pleasure the flogger brought.

The knots amped up the sensation, turning the normally soft toy into a challenge.

He counted steadily at the start, but quickly lost his numbers, his mind hazy with the repressed emotions of today. Every flinch drove the plug in further, every moan was rewarded with more pain.

Kaiba had been watching the other sub play intently. He was aroused out of his head, and damn, was he _jealous._

Wasn't he the one paying Yami? And now he was blue balled by him? _For Pegasus?_

Panting harshly, he tried to find his voice. “Pharaoh... Please.”

Yami actually looked up from his ministrations and turned around.

“Please what, slut? This is not your turn. Are you disobeying again?”

Kaiba immediately stared back at the floor. No. He wouldn't anger the Pharaoh now.

In this state, Yami was even more dangerous. And he was clearly fed up.

“That's what I thought, bitch. Wait your turn.”

Kaiba desperately wanted to do something. Touch himself. Find friction. His erection was painfully hard and throbbed unpleasantly. He tried to sit in a way that allows him to trap his dick against his body with his legs, moving them to stimulate his neglected length.

Yami caught on to that. Of course. Kaiba hadn't exactly been quiet, and the handcuffs rattled obnoxiously.

He gave Pegasus another powerful slap and turned around, pacing over to the table where he grabbed a short piece of rope.

_Good luck tying me up with that, what you gonna do Pharaoh, tie my legs? That's stupid, I can still move._

But Yami had no such thing in mind. He grabbed between Kaiba's legs and extracted his heated erection. He firmly started to knot the rope around his dark red dick, binding it up, until the whole length was covered and only the head was visible.

Kaiba hissed.

But the Pharaoh didn't give two fucks and went back to Pegasus, who was still breathing harshly, trying to balance himself with his forearms pressed flat on the cold floor.

“And you? You are just as slutty as him. Look at you, panting on the floor, silently begging to be filled. We can arrange that.”

Yami moved through the room again, swiftly searching his bag with one hand. The other went under the table, grabbing hold of Kaiba's pretty, brown hair and tugging on it almost violently. He scratches along his jaw, over his neck, and closed his hand over the other man's throat.

Slightly pressing on Kaiba's airway, he whispered: “I want you to look at this very well now. And imagine it was you. Think about how nice this would feel. How much pleasure you could have received if you hadn't been such a bad sub.”

Then, the pressure was gone and Kaiba yelped for air, watching dizzily, as Yami strut to Pegasus once again. He knelt down behind him and carefully eased the plug out, wiping it over Pegasus’ back and resting it in the curve of his spine, after he had pulled the sub back up to his hands.

“If the plug falls, you will be punished.”

Yami stepped around and bound Pegasus’ hands and forearms tightly together with a piece of rope, so that he could hold up his body weight but not move much more.

Again, he knelt down behind Pegasus and gave his ass a hard slap.

The other man whimpered, trying to steady himself, before the plug could fall off.

Suddenly, his world went black and white, hot and cold, tight and stretched all at once, when Yami entered him with a strap on.

The Pharaoh gave him no time to adjust, pounding into him with a quick, harsh pace, making sure to roll his hips to hit the prostate repeatedly.

It was the best and worst feeling he'd ever had, being filled to the brim and fucked out of his mind, but also unable to let go out of fear of punishment.

On the other side of the room, Kaiba thought he might go blind, breathing so harshly he was lightheaded, so desperate to cum, he'd fuck Pegasus himself.

He was sure he'd faint if they kept up their pace like this a bit longer.

Suddenly, Pegasus cried out pitifully, as his body was shaken violently with the waves of a heated, dry orgasm, stifled by the cock ring. He had to cum. He had to cum for real, or he might die.

He bucked his hips back, desperately seeking more friction, even though he was starting to get sore. Suddenly, through the clouded haze of various pants and moans, he heard a tingling sound, and the room grew very quiet.

Yami immediately stilled behind him, and Kaiba looked shocked, not knowing what would happen, now that the plug had fallen.

The Dom got up, graciously rounded Pegasus, pried his mouth open, and put a small metal object in.

“Don't swallow, for once.”

He stepped into the middle of the room.

“That's the key to Seto's handcuffs. If you open them, he might untie you. Then you can both get your restraints off. When you managed to get that done, you are allowed to cum. However, there's one more rule. You have to work together to finish this final task. So you are prohibited to touch yourselves. If you want to cum, you better be nice to the other one. This is your final punishment.”

With those words, he happily hopped onto the table, showing clearly that he wasn't going to interfere with the scene anymore.

Both subs stared at him with pure panic in their faces, eyes wide in horror and realisation, but clouded with lust and the overwhelming ache to get off.

_Good luck._

_That was for his migraine, fuckers._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well! There you go - WE'RE BACK WITH A BANG!
> 
> Over 12000 words of a bang! 
> 
> As always, let us know your thoughts, and thank you once again for your support and patience.
> 
> <3


	12. But I'm scared to fall that high

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning:  
> Short mention of childhood abuse, if it's more comfortable, skip the voicemails. 
> 
> Content-free mini spoiler for your souls:   
> This chapter will get intense. But there's no comfort without hurt and we promise you a happy end. You just gotta push through it.

The door falling shut behind him sounded… 

Final. 

When Kaiba walked to his bedroom, entirely spent from the conference, he tried to reflect on what exactly had happened. He wasn’t really sure. 

But he knew it must have been bad. 

He tried to recall it. 

They landed. Everything was fine. 

They got off the plane and to the hotel. Everything was fine. 

They spend the night together. Everything was much more than fine. 

They got up on Saturday and went to the conference. Everything was fine. 

They met Pegasus. Hurgh. This is where it all started. 

This is where shit went to hell. 

He had desperately tried to impress Yami all day, but very obviously, this plan hadn’t worked out. Instead, it had gotten him into a small room with a disgusting and despicable person, fighting over something he had  _ already bought at that point.  _

Maybe, if Kaiba would have thought about Yami less as an object and more as a person, he would have realised, that his demeanor was the root of the doms cold behaviour that followed. 

After they had managed to get out of that  _ terrible  _ room, Yami had turned around and left. 

Kaiba thought he’d head to his room, so he sat down in front of it and waited, hoping Yami would return soon and they could talk things out. But after one and a half hours sitting on the floor, he realised, Yami wouldn’t show up anytime soon. 

So, he left. 

When he had entered his own, grande suite, he curled up on the bed like a small child, feeling a lot like crying. This wasn’t what he had expected. This wasn’t, what he had brought Yami over for. 

The next morning, Yami was still nowhere to be seen. 

He found him in the breakfast hall, sitting at Pegasus’ table and eating with his partners, merrily chatting with them like old friends, and Kaiba was harshly reminded, that they probably were exactly that, because Yami and Pegasus had known each other for years. 

He thought about sitting down with them. 

But the idea of spending any more time than necessary with Pegasus repulsed him immensely. 

Moreover, what would he say? 

_ Hi, I’m his actual date, fuck off or I’m going to chew off your face. _

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to say those things. 

He just couldn’t. They weren’t dating, and he had no right to Yami’s time before it was 10AM. That would be two cruel, lonely hours. And then what? It’s not like it would suddenly be like nothing happened and he hadn’t waited for over an hour at his door and he was still choosing someone else. 

Kaiba felt disgusted with himself and the Pharaoh. 

At a seminar at 9:30AM, Yami settled himself next to him. 

But Kaiba didn’t feel like talking. 

He didn’t feel like interacting. 

He wanted to take his collar off and throw it. 

Again. 

When the clock stroke 10, Yami placed his warm, small hand on Kaiba’s leg, who instinctively withdrew. 

Both of them realised at this point, that something between them had been broken the day before. 

They didn’t talk for the rest of the workshop. 

Or the workshop after. 

Or in the following podium discussion. 

They didn’t talk when they got their bags, didn’t talk when they boarded the airplane, didn’t talk during the flight and didn’t talk when Kaiba drove him to the studio. 

Before he exited the car, Yami turned to him and hissed: 

“Don’t think I’m going to take any money from you on this.”

Then, he turned around, slammed the door, and strut into the studio, his head high, his posture imposing and arrogant as always. 

Kaiba had tried talking to him. 

But Yami was ignoring him.    
Fine. This was fine. 

He dropped himself on the bed. 

\--------------------- 

Yami was greeted with the pleasant tingle of the chime in the game shop door. Yugi wasn’t around, thank god. Instead, Otogi welcomed him happily. 

“How has your trip been? Have you had fun?” 

He ogled the bag in Yami’s hand interestedly. 

“Nope. It was terrible.” 

Otogi gasped. 

“WAIT WAIT WAIT. I’m going to close the shop and get everyone I want to know EVERYTHING.” 

“Otogi, no!” Yami groaned, he felt like curling up under a blanket and sleeping for two days. He felt horrible, physically and mentally. His hangover didn’t help. 

But the other man hadn’t listened to him. Yami felt his phone chirp twice. 

The group chat. 

“Are you for real? I said no!” 

Otogi looked at him apologetically. 

“Mai said I have to text everyone when you are - “

“WHERE IS HE, WHERE IS HE, WHERE IS HE!” 

Yugi and Mai stumbled down the studio’s starecase, almost falling over Yami when they ripped the door open. 

“HERE HE IS!” 

Both of them cheered loudly. 

Yami pressed his hands to his head, begging his headache to either go away or finally kill him. No such luck. 

The headache stayed, the cheering, too. 

“TELL US EVERYTHING.”

“WE WANT TO KNOW!”

“WHAT HAPPENED?”

“DID YOU GUYS FUCK?”

“IS THIS YOUR HANGOVER FACE, HAVE YOU BEEN DRUNK?” 

He flinched with every noisy assault. 

Yami wanted to run, but there was no escape. 

Mai, Yugi, fuck even Otogi, grabbed him and dragged him up the stairs. 

When he rounded the corner, he couldn’t believe his eyes. 

Everyone was here. 

It looked like the christmas party. 

But there was no decor, only questioning faces. 

Mai elbowed him in the back without a care in the world. 

“Tell us everything, loverboy! I got the whole gang, so you don’t have to tell your story twice! Look, we ordered pizza. There’s tea and booze, depending on how well it went. But you look like shit, so maybe no booze for you, babe.” 

Yami’s headache, his constant companion for more than 30 hours now, was yelling at him to lay down and sleep. But that wasn’t going to happen, not with everyone here, not with everyone in such a good mood, not with the big event so close. 

The faster he told the story, the faster he’d get home. 

Just when he sat down, his phone rang. 

_ Not now. I can’t work anymore today.  _

_ Not today.  _

_ Not now.  _

A quick button press and he muted it. 

Then, he began to talk. 

“It was all very fun. The first day. 

The first day was great. 

And no. We didn’t fuck.” 

Mai and Yugi seemed to be devastated. 

“You didn’t? Why? I mean, this was perfect?” 

Yugi couldn’t believe he had set his brother up so well and the idiot managed to screw, or rather not screw, it.

“Shut up. Do you want to hear the story or nah?” 

“I want to hear the story!” 

Anzu bobbed up and down, clearly interested in Yami’s suffering. 

She has had the biggest crush on him for years, and both knew, just as well as both knew that no matter what they did, he would never be able to return her feelings. But things had changed. She had moved on. 

Now, she was happy. 

He wasn’t. 

Fucking plot twist. 

Yami kept telling them about their night together, earning him several excited squeals, and for a second he wondered, if  _ everyone in this fucking studio  _ knew about his terrible crush on Kaiba. 

But the excitement soon changed when he started to describe the events of the following day, explaining in detail the useless feuds his subs got into. 

When he was done telling about the accidental threeway session, he leaned back and tried to breath. 

That had been one of the shittiest days in forever. 

“Wow boy. You really screwed this up. Way to go.”

He glared daggers into Mai, turning his head to snap at her arrogant comment, when he realised she wasn’t grinning like he had expected her to. Her face was stern, mouth set in a tight line, and brows furrowed. 

Looking around, he realised, that everyone had a similar expression, even Yugi. 

He decided not to dignify their weird behaviour with an answer, and instead continued the story. Yami knew it went shitty himself, he didn’t need a reminder, thank you very much. But why did everyone apparently think it was his fault? 

“Anyway. After this shitfest, I send them to their rooms and decided to spend the night alone. I visited the hotel bar, and  _ yes,  _ I might have been drinking a tiny bit too much. But the barkeeper was cute and he didn’t want to know why I was depressed, alone, or what I do for a living, so it was… nice.” 

“You fucking piece of shit, I swear to god, if you screwed the barkeeper instead…” 

Mai seemed to be actually angry for once. 

“NO I DID NOT SCREW THE BARKEEPER!” 

Yami kept to himself, that he might have tried to do so, just to forget about his nagging feelings, that pushed him out of the bar, up to the elevator and into Kaiba’s flat. He just wanted to forget. It had been obvious the previous night’s bliss was a one-time-only experience. 

“ANYWAY.” 

Yami tried to get back to a part of the story where he wasn’t the asshole. 

He didn’t even know why everyone treated him like that. Honestly, first they told him he’s going soft, and now he was suddenly a piece of shit for not taking all the negative energy? 

“Maximilian found me at the bar. Or rather, he stumbled upon me, when he went out drinking with colleagues. He was… happy. Like… Yes, he knew he had been punished, but he was fine with it. After all, they both deserved it. I talked to his partners and him for a while, and we drank together, and it got late. I had initially planned to visit Kaiba before I went to bed, but it was after midnight. He hadn’t even texted me or tried to apologise or talk to me. At all. So I figured it would be okay to go to bed. 

The next morning, he didn’t even open the door when I knocked. I don’t know why. He was apparently very pissed.” 

Concern was showing in the faces around him now. 

“So he… didn’t even acknowledge you?” 

Jou shuddered at the mere idea of ignoring his domme. 

“Nope. He saw me at breakfast, but sat himself somewhere far away, as if I wouldn’t realise he was around. As if Maximilian wouldn’t grasp the chance to point his rude behaviour out to me.”

“That’s  _ really  _ rude. Are you sure you’re interested in him?” 

Yami closed his eyes for a second, trying to get his two remaining brain cells to work together for once so he could answer the question with a bit of his dignity left. 

“Unfortunately, yes, Honda. I don’t know  _ how, _ or  _ why  _ you even know about it” - he glared at Mai and Yugi - “but I fear that yes, in fact I am interested in him, and can’t change that. Believe me. I tried.” 

It felt like his brain was leaking out of his head at this point. 

He was tired, he was emotional, he wanted to have a good old lonely cry in the shower, but instead he had to sit here and answer stupid questions. 

“What happened after?” 

Shizuka. At least someone was focused on his actual story. 

“He ignored me for the whole meal. After that, I tried to get closer to him. 

Sat down with him in the workshop after. He just stared ahead. 

I thought, okay, maybe he’s a bit angry. I’ll wait until I’m officially on the clock to approach him. So when the time was up, I put my hand on his leg, trying to tell him I’m here, and that he can relax, and that I’m not angry anymore even though he behaved like a fucking piece of trash.” 

“And?” 

They all looked at him with honest interest. 

_ Why the fuck was everyone so invested? _

“And he jerked his leg away.” 

Light gasps echoed through the room. 

“He did what?”

Mai couldn’t believe it. 

She had seen Kaiba in the cage. 

The boy was a mess when he only thought about Yami with someone else. Why was he acting like a dick now? 

Yami just nodded. 

“Yep. That’s it. That was literally all the interaction. We haven’t talked to each other after that, because he refused to even acknowledge my presence.” 

_ Kaiba had ignored him all day.  _

_ But that was fine.  _

_ Perfectly fine.  _

\---------------------

Kaiba’s day had been going terrible so far. 

After yesterday’s unfortunate events, he had fallen asleep almost immediately. 

He hadn’t even expected to find sleep at all this night, but it had bulldozed over him nonetheless. Which was why he hadn’t seen Yami’s text message. 

It just read “Good night.” 

_ Fuck you, Pharaoh. Was that all he could do?  _

_ This message was like salt into an open wound.  _

_ “Oh look at me, I don’t have to care for you all day, but I will still have the last word.”  _

Kaiba hadn’t bothered to reply in the morning. 

He had just sent what his contract demanded, and decided to not interact any further. Which was fortunate, because, well… 

Yami wasn’t interacting either. 

He had reacted to the report and his photo with a :thumbs up: emoji. That was it. 

Kaiba was actually pissed, when the afternoon rolled around. 

He was thinking about actively fucking up his rules, so that Yami would have to react. But the last time Yami had been angry, it didn’t go too well for him. 

He went home early that day, not feeling fit to deal with the real world right now. 

It was late evening, when he got a text.

**Pharaoh:** Do you want to sort things out? Or are you just going to ignore me all day?”

_ He was ignoring Yami?  _

_ What kind of twisted joke was that?  _

Kaiba felt his rage boil. 

Without a second thought, he answered: “Nope. I’m good.” 

_ That would teach him a lesson to ignore him.  _

_ Now Yami had to actually care for him. _

_ The Pharaoh would come back crawling after his cruelties over the weekend.  _

**Pharaoh:** Okay.

What? What was okay? 

Was he seriously going to keep ignoring him? 

A hot knife of anger cut through his common sense. 

No one talked to Seto Kaiba like that, especially not after treating him like a lap dog you could call when you were bored! 

He would be calling Yami later. 

But first… 

He eyed the bottle of expensive liquor in his bottom drawer. It was a present from a business partner he hadn’t touched yet. Kaiba didn’t understand casual drinking. Why would he want to get his sharp senses clouded, intoxicating his otherwise healthy body? 

But right now, feeling numb sounded inviting. 

Moreover, it would royally piss off Yami when he found out in the morning. 

_ Let’s see if he would still deal with one word answers then!  _

\-------------------------------- 

“WHO DOES THIS FUCKING PHONE BELONG TO?” 

Mai yelled through the whole studio, not caring anymore. 

It had been ringing for more than 30 minutes, almost constantly. 

But it was in a locker. 

She couldn’t get to it. 

“YUUUUGIIII!” 

“Fuck, what is it? I get why they call you harpy now, have you heard yourself shriek? God damn, woman, what the hell is wrong!” 

The phone went off again. 

“Do you hear that?” 

“Yes. I have ears. Thanks for checking. And I’ve got to get back to the counter now, I got -” 

“NO. This fucking phone is in one of the lockers and I can’t turn it off but I’m trying to read through this contract and… I can’t focus for shit. Get me the spare key!” 

“Bitch this is illegal. I can’t break into a locker just because a phone rings, what is up with you?” 

“It’s Yami’s.” 

“OOOOOOhhhhhh. Why didn’t you say that before?” 

Yugi ran off to get the spare key from his key ring. 

He went back to the studio, unlocking Yami’s clothes. 

**Incoming call: Seto**

Mai and Yugi stared at each other. 

Yugi elbowed Mai. 

“Answer it.” 

Mai elbowed back. 

“Are you stupid? You answer it, he’s your twin, you bloody potato!”

Yugi shook his head. 

“No fucking way. He’s going to kill me. But he respects you. Go!” 

Mai picked up the phone.

She was aware that this was Yami’s private phone, but fuck it, she needed to sort her contract. 

“Kane Game. This is Harpy, how can I help?” 

“...and ths s EXCTLY the reasn why… wait. Wha?”

“Harpy. What can I do for you? Also, are you drunk? Because Yami will go ape shit if he finds out…” 

“Dis exactly why I ws calln. Pharoh. Where is de Pharoh?” 

Mai wrinkled her eyebrows. This was bad. 

Yami would be so pissed. 

Should she tell him and let him know she picked up his phone? 

Or should she keep this to herself, in the process protecting Kaiba?

“The Pharaoh is currently busy.” 

“Wha so mportnt?”

“He has another client if you need to know. Now go to sleep. 

I’m sure he will contact you if he deems it appropriate.” 

Without further words, Mai hung up the phone. 

When she stared down, she found the source of her previous displeasure. 

**15 missed calls, 8 voicemail notifications**

Suddenly, the phone lit up in her hand again. 

**Incoming call: Seto**

Irritated, Mai cancelled the request and turned Yami’s phone off. 

_ He better knew his pin because she wouldn’t deal with his bullshit clients one minute longer.  _

\-------------------------

Kaiba felt like shit. 

He had been drinking for some time now, and the numbness was nowhere to be found. But he could still feel his anger and his self hatred very clearly. 

All those years, he had been  _ fine, _ just repressing whatever emotion troubled him. But now, Yami had forced him to evaluate and reflect on Every. Fucking. Thing. And Kaiba found he couldn’t stop. 

He couldn’t go back to not-feeling anymore. 

Now, he was stuck with a bunch of unpleasant emotions he couldn’t name, or handle. And he knew who to blame for that. 

He had been calling Yami all night. 

But the Pharaoh didn’t deem it fucking necessary to answer him ONCE. 

Instead, the angry, weird lady had been on his phone. 

After that, it was completely turned off. 

But he didn’t care. He had to tell Yami how he felt, now that all emotions welled up and became  _ too much _ to handle. 

Kaiba would get his message out, one way or the other. 

\---------------------------

Yami woke, when Yugi stumbled into his flat. 

“HEY SHITFACE, I THOUGHT WE HAD A DATE?!” 

Pleasant. 

Really pleasant. 

But wait. 

Why was he not awake? 

If Yugi was here, it was well past nine, and he couldn’t remember being up to answer his clients at their respective work hours. 

_ Shit Shit Shit Shit Shit.  _

“YUGI! I’m here! Get your ass in here, come on, be useful for ONCE!” 

His younger brother knocked on the bedroom door. 

“Are you alone?” 

“Yes?” 

“Are you decent?”

“Yes?” 

“Will I get nightmares?” 

“JUST COME IN YOU PIECE OF TRASH!”

The door creaked open. 

“What is it, did your pillow fall out? And why are you even in here? We are going to be late for brunch with Mai. She’s going to kill us if the bacon is-” 

“Can you shut up for a second? What the hell happened yesterday?” 

Yugi was confused. Had Yami been drinking again? 

“I know I’m not your parent but if you can’t remember yesterday, maybe you should cut back on the booze…” He sounded honestly concerned. 

“No why… Why was I still asleep? Can you give me my phone? It’s in my pants.” 

“You seriously called me in to give you your phone from your pants? That lay next to your bed?” 

“No. Not those. The ones on the chair.” 

Yami pointed across the room. 

“My phone must be still in there.” 

“And why don’t you get it yourself?” 

“Well I know you didn’t win the genetics lottery when our attributes were distributed, but I always thought you’d be at least big enough to notice when you just woke up. But if you absolutely want to see me strut around like that…-”  I do!!!

He lifted the blankets from his almost naked body, his small frame only wrapped in slightly too large, but noticeable bulged boxer shorts.

“Eeeeew Yami, why?” 

“You didn’t want to give me my phone.” 

He shrugged and walked past his brother, rummaging through his pants. 

“Yeah but why did you call me in here at all?” 

“I wanted to know what happened yesterday. You have been no help. 

Oh and I wanted to distract you from the lemon biscuits in the kitchen.” 

Yugi never heard the last word, because as soon as Yami said “lemon biscuits”, he was gone. Just like the tasty snacks would be in a second. Urgh. 

But he had other problems now. 

His phone was powered off. Had he forgotten to charge it? 

Yami plugged it in and watched it come to life, when he started it. 

He entered his pin and activated it. 

Suddenly, it started to buzz so hard, he thought it was broken. 

33 missed calls, 16 voice mail notifications, 67 messenger notifications, 36 SMS, 6 E-mails.

_ What. The. Fuck.  _

He would do this methodically. 

First: Calls. 

He checked his folder and was surprised to find, that he had 32 missed calls from Seto, and one from a mobile phone company. 

_ This was bad.  _

_ This was extremely bad.  _

_ He wouldn’t exactly classify his sub as stable on a good day, but after the conference, and with this evidence of his fit, he knew, something was absolutely wrong.  _

Second: The voicemails. 

He had every reason to believe they were from Seto. 

He’d listen to them last, just to make sure he had the time. 

Third: Messenger notification.

Most of it was the studio group, mainly Mai yelling about someone’s phone bothering her. Oh. And there it was, a text from her, explaining that she had to turn Yami’s phone off, because it didn’t stop ringing. Wow. Thank you for the heads up. Per Messenger. On his phone. That was turned off. So helpful. 

He also saw a picture from Kaiba, reporting on his outfit. 

He looked like shit. 

His clothes were impeccable, as always, but he himself… 

Yami had to click the conversation away. 

Fourth: The SMS. 

Most of them were notifications about the missed calls. 

Great. But the most recent ones were from Kaiba. 

They were sent two hours ago and only stated: 

“If you are a religious man, and believe in any god, then in order to please them, don’t open any of those voicemails. I beg you.” and: 

“If you already opened them… I’m sorry. I won’t pester you anymore. Goodbye.” 

The last one said: “I don’t even know what I beg you for. But… please.”

Yami swallowed hard. What had happened? 

He didn’t even bother opening the Emails anymore. 

They could wait. 

Hastily throwing clothes on, he hurried into the living room, where Yugi was already buried in the cookie jar. 

“Call Mai. I need both of your advise.” 

Yugi snapped his head back up, and sprayed crumbs over Yami’s freshly cleaned couch, when he talked without finishing chewing first. 

“Whyh?” 

“I’m not going to explain that twice. Just… Oh forget it you’re useless.” 

He dialed his best friend on his own. 

When she picked up, she was surprised, their brunch was set only in 10 minutes. But as soon as Yami explained, that he needed her help, she turned the car around. 

“8 minutes, boys. Don’t you DARE start without me!”

And they didn’t. 

Mai didn’t even need to ring the doorbell, both of the twins greeted her in the hallway with open doors. 

“Okay what kind of crisis meeting is this?” 

She watched from one of them to the other, eager to get her hands on the news. Suddenly, she got extremely quiet and stared at Yami. 

“This is about Kaiba, isn’t it?” 

The dom was confused. He hadn’t told her yet. 

“How do you know?” 

“He had been calling you yesterday. You remember I turned your phone off? You got quite a lot of notifications… “ 

Yami furrowed his brows. “And?” 

“And I might have… Answered a call from him.” 

More surprised than angry, Yami answered: “Why would you do that?” 

Mai looked uncharacteristically sorry. 

“I didn’t know you guys were fighting. I thought you had resolved those issues after the conference.” 

Now, his frown deepened. 

“We… weren’t fighting. I offered him to resolve whatever problem he had, and he refused.” 

Looking up in surprise Mai stared at her best friend. 

“Yami… He was drunk out of his mind. He was half yelling… I don’t know what  _ you  _ think you resolved or what didn’t need resolving. But… he had obviously different feelings!” 

That took Yami aback. 

“He was… drunk?” 

Yugi sensed how the emotions of his brother were tilting. 

“Let us all sit down and discuss this over some lemon cookies?” 

He dragged both of them into the living room, where Yami got his phone back out and showed them the messages from the morning.

“Do you think I should listen to them?” 

“Yes.”

“No.” 

They stared at each other. 

Yami moved his hand between his best friends. 

“Discuss.” 

Mai leaned forward. 

“You want honesty? This is honesty. Drunk people have no filter. If you really want to know what he thinks, listen to them.” 

Yugi shook his head. 

“Don’t. This is an invasion of his privacy! He specifically asked you not to. What more do you need? Do you want to regain his trust, or not?” 

Mai looked at him in confusion. 

“How is this an invasion of privacy? He send them to Yami. It’s not like he hacked into his diary. If it were text messages, you wouldn’t even think twice about reading them. You’d just do it.” 

Staring at her, Yugi shook his head. 

“You heard him yesterday. He was out of his mind. Anger blinds you. I don’t think this is his honest opinion. I think this is his  _ angry  _ opinion. Have you heard Seto Kaiba ever apologise for being rude? Because I didn’t. Rudeness doesn’t bother him. So there must be something else on there.” 

Mai grinned. 

“Exactly! Let’s find it!” 

“No! That’s not what I was saying, I meant - “ 

“JUST PLAY THEM, Yami. Start with the first. He should be relatively sober, right? You can decide if you want to go further.” 

“I don’t think that’s a good idea!”

“And I don’t think tricoloured hair is a good idea, but here you are!” 

“OKAY STOP.” 

Yami spoke for the first time since the beginning of their discussion. 

Both looked at him expectantly, before they shook hands. 

It was a small gesture of respect, but all three of them liked to remind themselves that, despite all the shenanigans, they were still a family.

Yami opened his voicemail folder. 

He scrolled down to the oldest one, looked at his best friends, and hit play. 

\-----------------------------

“Pharaoh, I tried to call you. Multiple times. What is it with you? Why can’t you pick up your phone?” 

The three of them looked at each other. 

That wasn’t really bad, was it? 

Another one from further up. 

“I just… Why do I do this? Why do I keep running after you? This makes no sense. I should stop. You obviously don’t care about me. Why does this mean so much to me? Why do I even call you?” 

“Oof. That’s hard, man.” 

Yugi looked pained. He knew, that Yami had feelings for Kaiba that extended his professional interest greatly. In fact, he hadn’t seen his brother act so lost or unsure about anything, or anyone, ever. 

Yami just shook his head. 

Another. 

“How oftn did I cll you now? And why? Wll you evn listen? Do you ever listn? Do you evn read the reports? Or do you jst save them in a foldr and not look at thm until you need to kno somethng?”

His voice slurred a lot more now, but he was still understandable. 

Mai looked at him with concern in her eyes. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all. 

“Hey love. I think you got an idea now, why dont you -” 

But Yami had already started the next one. 

“Ths ‘s ur fault! All ‘f tis. I trsted u. Tha ‘s dumb. I shd ‘ve knon yu only care fr uself. All ths years ‘ts been beatn ‘nto me. Trus’ no one! Bu’ me? 

Nooooo. I h’d to run out ‘nd fall ‘n love. Tha w’s so dumb! ‘m dumb. 

Gozab’ro ‘s righ. ‘nd I hate u. 

It was almost indecipherable the first time. So Yami listened to it again and again. At least he told himself, that this was the reason, and not the gaping hole in his chest, that had expanded at the “fall in love” and crashed down, dragging all his hopes and dreams with it, at the “I hate you.” 

Both Yugi and Mai stared at him in shock. 

_ This was really, really bad.  _

“Yami, maybe you really really want to stop doing that.” 

But he was so distressed, he had opened another one. 

And, no matter what the previous once said, this one was by far the worst. 

“ ‘n the ‘nd.. ‘ur jus ‘nothr fathr figr tell’n me to g’t on de floor ‘nd kneel, so I c’n suck th’r dick. I guess ‘ur chains ‘nd kanes ‘rn’t so dffrnt aftr all.” 

\------------------------------

“So… What are you going to do?”

Yugi leaned forward carefully, trying not to startle Yami, who had crumbled against the sofa. He was sitting on the floor, completely still, and both of his guests were sure he was silently crying, but didn’t dare to check. 

No response. 

Yugi sat back. 

This was going to take some time. 

He looked at Mai with pleading eyes. 

Mai leaned forward. 

“Hey… Yami…” 

No response. 

Mai sat back. 

She stared at Yugi. 

He tried again. 

“You can still… call him. Talk to him. You know?” 

Silence. 

Mai spoke up.

“He regrets saying those things Yami. He pleaded you not to listen to them and I blame myself for telling you to do so nonetheless. Yugi was right. I should have respected this.” 

Trying to reason, Yugi continued. 

“He send you a picture this morning, right? So he still wants you as his dom. That’s good, isn’t it?” 

Yami started to shake. 

Violently. 

Yugi and Mai immediately leaned back. 

_ Fuck. They should have just said nothing and waited.  _

Emergency Protocol. 

Yugi dropped to the floor next to Yami, dragging a blanket down and wrapping himself and his brother. He snuggled closer, not caring that Yami flinched and tried to scoot away. He held him close, not allowing for him to flee. 

Mai sprung into action at the same time. She hurried into the kitchen, preparing a pot of Yami’s favorite tea and some comfort food. 

Then, she ran back into the living room, setting all of it on the table and getting some cups for the tea, too. Mai turned the TV on and pulled up a Disney film. She bolted into the hallway to call Jou and told him to reschedule everyone's appointments until at least 2 PM. 

When she headed back, she sat herself on Yami’s other side, stealing more of the blanket, and hugged him closer from the other side. 

While she had been busy, he had turned into a sobbing, crying mess, trying hard to control his breath, while Yugi held him and tried to talk him out of the quickly approaching panic attack. 

Mai had him breath into her hands, and that seemed to help a bit. 

Her and Yugi held Yami close, grounding him, showing him he wasn’t alone. Things were shitty. Yes. 

But they would always be here for him. 

Despite that, they felt a bit responsible. After all, they had known Kaiba had called, they had known about his fragile state after the conference. They should have known better than to turn the phone off, but they didn’t, and both of them regretted deeply, that Yami would have to face the consequences. 

For a while, they just listened to the movie playing in the background, not really watching it but staring into space. 

  
Suddenly, Yami spoke. 

“I have to let him go.”

Both Mai and Yugi stared at him. 

“What?” 

More resolutely, Yami said: “I have to let Seto Kaiba go.” 

However the change in the way he spoke didn’t magically turn his words into something more coherent for his friends. 

Mai put her head on his shoulder. “Yami that doesn’t make any fucking sense. You are in love. He apparently is, too. You just have to talk it out.” 

“No. That’s exactly the thing! And it makes perfect sense! I can’t date a client, Mai. I can’t thats fucking unprofessional.” 

Lifting her head back up, Mai stared at Yami, who apparently hadn’t really understood what he had just implied. 

When the heavy silence that followed engulfed him completely, he suddenly snapped his head up. 

“That’s not what I meant! You aren’t unprofessional! But I couldn’t!”

“So you just want to stay alone forever?” This time, it was the smaller twin. 

Yami smiled weakly. 

“I am not alone. I got you guys. And I know how to get myself laid. I’m not missing out on anything.” 

Staring deeply into his eyes, Mai sighed. 

“I thought that once, too. It’s hella stupid. You are missing out on so much more than physical proximity, you potato.” 

He was silent for a few seconds. Then, he explained. 

“He deserves a professional, that will not let his feelings get in the way. 

Someone who doesn’t easily get annoyed with him. Someone that will care for him the way he should be cared for.” 

“And you don’t think you could be that someone?” 

“I don’t know how to love without possession. I want to claim him. Keep him, make him mine. I want to scream at the top of my lungs and show him off to the world. Can you imagine him doing that?” 

“Kinda, yeah.” 

“You both aren’t helping.” 

Mai sat up straighter. 

“You really want to hand him off? Who do you think about?” 

“You know who. A certain Dark Magician.” 

\-------------------------

“I'm glad you could make it.”

Yami sat himself down on the chair in the small cafe they agreed on. It was close to Kaiba Corp., because Seto was quite busy after the conference. Yami welcomed those circumstances.

“I know right? It's much nicer to break up in person.” 

Yami was dumbfounded.

“I'm sorry?” 

“Oh don't be. It was my fault. But I accepted it. What I do not accept however, is you leaving me.” 

“Why would you think I'm leaving you?” Yami felt surreal. 

“Oh please, don't insult my intelligence. I have seen what happened during the conference. I heard those voice mails. I can see you are wearing completely casual clothes. And you didn't even invite me near the tomb but into a cafe close to my work so I can easily storm off.”

“I… I'm not…” 

“Yami. Look into my eyes and honestly tell me that you aren't here to end things with me.” 

He didn't know what confused him more, the casual use of his name, or the easiness with which Kaiba had seen through him. 

Yami looked up with frustration fueled strength. “I don't want to break up with you.” 

Kaiba smiled arrogantly. 

“That's not what I dared you to say.” 

“I'm not here because I want to break up with you, but because I think you need help! Help I can't provide!” 

“Oh so you listened to my voicemails after all.” He snickered without any real happiness. “No thanks doc, that's a hard pass from me.” 

“I'm not thinking about a doctor.” 

“And what other help is there, that you can't provide me with?” 

Kaiba was now openly daring him and Yami had to admit that he was clever. He felt tempted to take the bait. 

Instead, he retrieved a small address card. 

“Call that number. Ask for Dark Magician.” 

Kaiba laughed heartily. 

“I'm sorry, what? The Dark Magician? Isn't that a duel monsters card?”

Yami nodded. 

“Yes. He inspired it.” 

Kaiba snorted. 

“Oh sure of course he did!” 

But suddenly, he remembered who was in charge of designing the cards. 

“Wait are you saying…”

“He's a friend of another friend of yours, yes.” 

Kaiba almost spat his next sentence. 

“Pegasus is NOT my friend.” 

Yami smirked prettily. 

“He brought us together.” 

“Oh yeah. And I've never been happier in my life.” 

His words were lovely, but his face was absolutely blank, his voice somewhere between monotonous and sarcastic. 

The smile on Yami's lips died immediately and was replaced by a stern look. 

“I'm  _ so  _ glad to hear that. And even better. I'm sure my friend can make you happier. Happier than I ever could. You deserve someone, who treats you with the necessary respect and care.” 

Behind Kaiba's carefully constructed mask of neutrality, his mind was running at full speed, constructing scenario after scenario of how Yami would leave him and what he could try to change his mind. Because he  _ needed  _ to. He wouldn't accept Yami moving on. 

He had been doing that all day. Imagining a scenario and constructing a fitting answer. He knew, they weren't perfect. But it was what he could bring himself to do right now.

Kaiba was positive he  _ couldn't  _ work through Yami leaving him.

He had been the first person to give him a feeling of security, of being wanted, being accepted, being cared for. 

At the same time, he was well aware, that they had never been further from those feelings. Even when they met the first time, it was easier to talk to each other than it was now. 

“You know…” - Kaiba leaned forward - “how I texted you, pleading, not even knowing what for?” 

Yami's throat was tight. He wanted this to be over, because he knew,  _ he knew, _ if he kept staring into those dripping wet oceans with the thunder roaring above them, that he would falter. Falter and crawl across the table to gather the man he somehow fell in love with in his arms and kiss him until both of them would be drunk from love. 

“Yes…” 

“Please don't abandon me, Yami. I don't think I could handle it.” 

Yami felt hot pain all over his body, his stomach clenching violently and his mind running wild. 

“Don't say that!” 

“What, that you'll abandon me? Or that I couldn't handle it?” Somehow, Kaiba found it in himself to smile sadly. 

“Seto I can't go on like this! I  _ can't!”  _

“Why? Do you hate me so much?” 

Now it was Yami who smiled with dead eyes. He shook his head a bit too long. 

“No.  _ No. _ Trust me.  _ That  _ is far from my problem.”

The taller man leaned further forward, almost draping himself over the table in his attempt to be closer to the dom. 

“What is your problem then?” 

He was so close.

So close.

Almost at kissing distance.

Yami would only have to lean forward a bit, and he could make all the pain and anger and dread stop. 

But this wasn't, what Kaiba wanted. He wanted guidance, someone to protect him, not a lover. He had stated very clearly, that Yami was a father figure for him. And even more, he had made sure to mention  _ what a great father figure he was _ . 

“I care too much for you. It's not healthy. I lack professional distance and that's not fair towards you. You deserve someone who's in it for you, not themselves.” 

_ Lies. Yami was lying to get out of this easily. He was bored with him, and too polite to tell Kaiba.  _

“Try the truth next time.” 

Kaiba got up. He threw a ridiculous stash of cash on the table, and turned around to go.

_ Yami couldn't leave him, if he left first.  _

\----------------- 

**Pharaoh:** I have been honest with you. Maybe you need to stop lying to yourself. 

**Seto:** Maybe you need to stop thinking you know what's good for me better than I do.

**Pharaoh:** I'm curious, what was your motivation to get yourself a dom if you know that so well. 

**Seto:** I honestly don't know anymore. Maybe I never did. 

\--------------- 

**Pharaoh:** Did you think about my offer? 

**Seto:** You mean your generous attempt to leave me and burden someone else with my struggles? 

\------------------

**Seto:** I miss yu. Im srry Im duch a mes.

**Pharaoh:** Call me! 

**Seto:** I cant. See? Im slerpn. 

**Pharaoh:** Call me! Seto! 

**Seto:** Yami. <4 

\-------------------

**Pharaoh:** Aren't you even sorry the next day?

**Seto:** I've been sorry the last week. I've been sorry since the morning of the conference. What does it matter? You refuse to see me anyway. 

**Yami Mutou:** I'm doing this for you! 

**Seto:** Sure you are… 

\------------- 

**Yami Mutou:** My friend is going to be in town next weekend. There's quite a big party in the Palermo club. Do you want me to introduce you? 

**Seto:** Thanks. I'm good on my own. Have been all my life. 

**Seto:** I mean there was someone once who promised me to take care of me but.. you know. Those things never last with me. 

\-------------- 

**Kaiba:** Are you going to be at this party? 

**Don't/contact/this/number:** I have to. It's my party. 

**Kaiba:** Maybe I do want to hear about it… 

  
  


**Why/am/I/like/this:** Come over and meet my friend. He's the best dom you can get. 

**Kaiba:** If I'm going to be there, it won't be for your friend. 

**Why/am/I/like/this:** Why does this sound like a threat? 

**Kaiba:** I got more than two replies from you! :Party hat: 

**Why/am/I/like/this:** Forget it. 

\------------- 

**Unknown number:** 26.5., 9 PM, Palermo Club. 

**Kaiba:** :ok handsign: 

\-------------

**The/magic/pony:** Kaiba-boy! 

**The/magic/pony:** are you going to be at the party this weekend? 

**The/magic/pony:** the circus?? 

**The/magic/pony:** because I can't wait!!

**The/magic/pony:** it's going to be so marvellous! You have no idea what you'd be missing! Trust me you have to go!!!

**The/magic/pony:** omg we could go together! 

**The/magic/pony:** stop ignoring me, Kaiba-boy! 

**The/magic/pony:** THIS IS YOUR FIRST PARTY, RIGHT? 

**The/magic/pony:** I can't wait to see the Pharaoh! 

**The/magic/pony:** don't tell him I said this! 

**The/magic/pony:** but he's going to LOOK. LIKE. A. SNACK. 

**The/magic/pony:** as always.

**The/magic/pony:** but at parties? :drool: 

**The/magic/pony:** omg do you think he'll finally let me suck him off? 

**The/magic/pony:** he's so fabulous I bet he tastes like skittles. 

**The/magic/pony:** unlike you, you fucking coffee inhaling non-clean eating mess. 

**The/magic/pony:** but don't get me wrong, I'd still do it, sweety. 

**The/magic/pony:** if you don't answer me in the next half hour I assume we are going to have a da-aaate. 

**Kaiba-boy:** You bring out every inch of violence I ever had in me. 

**The/magic/pony:** Why don't you spank me, baby boy? :Wink: 

**The/magic/pony:** if you'll do it right, I'll see what I can do for *you* :tongue: :water droplets: 

**The/magic/pony:** of course only if the Pharaoh allows that. We'd never want to anger our master, would we? 

**Kaiba-boy:** Send me one more text and I swear there's going to be a restraining order on your table tomorrow. 

**The/magic/pony:** I'm not scared. Bureaucracy is slow. I will not get it before the circus, so no one can stop me from sucking you off. :Heart: :eggplant: :waterdroplets: 

**Kaiba-boy:** Error 30004: SMS Not Delivered - Sender blocked by intended recipient

**The/magic/pony:** OMG you even looked up the correct Error code, you really like me! 

**Kaiba-boy:** fuck off. 

\------------------ 

"Hey big brother."   
Mokuba stuck his head into the office.   
  
"Stop calling me that, you sound like the protagonist of a TV show written by an only child."    
  
Mokuba grinned happily.   
"Defensive much?"    
  
When he received no answer, he continued boldly. "How is Yami?"    
  
Kaiba froze.   
"Sorry. What?"    
  
"Yami Mutou. Your 'partner'."

  
"You talked to Aime!"

  
"And to Isono."

  
"Oh damn. I wanted to keep Aime for a while. She's been doing such a good job... And I certainly can't fire Isono..."

  
"Calm down. It's just me! It's not like they talked to the media. Also... I might have made them tell me the details..." 

  
Kaiba pinched the bridge of his nose.    
"What did you do?"    
  
Mokuba shrugged nonchalantly.   
"Blackmail. I learned from the best."   
He winked at his brother.    
  
"Do I even want to know what you’ve got on them?"    
  
Mokuba cracked.

"Nothing of course. They are saints. They weren't even involved. I just saw the name in the conference preparation papers and decided to ask about it. But since you just confirmed there's something fishy... Care to tell me about it?" 

  
Kaiba cursed at his own stupidity, at the same time admiring his brother.  
"No,I do _not_ care to tell you."  
  
Mokuba let himself drop into the second chair. His posture was relaxed, his voice firm. He was a man on a mission.   
"You know, _brother_ , I've been basically leading Kaiba Corp. on my own the last half a year. And I don't mind! I know you've done this forever without any help. And I'm grateful for the chance to prove myself. But I want to know about the reason why you suddenly started acting like a normal human being."  
  
Kaiba inhaled sharply.   
"You wouldn't understand."  
  
"Ok. Then let me guess."  
  
They started at each other challengingly.  
  
Kaiba was fairly confident his brother had no idea.  
"Have a try."   
  
Mokuba grinned slyly. He had been waiting for this chance _for months._   
"You met someone. Yami Mutou. He's probably a businessman, but deals with other industries than we do because I never heard of him. Whatever he does is probably not too legal, because if you look up his name, he basically vanishes after school. He's the one you've been constantly texting. He's the one that made you change your lifestyle. He's the one you visit in the evening when you think I'm too busy to notice. He's the one you send those cute selfies to. He's the one you paid an entire luxurious suite for, that hasn't even been activated the first night. He's the one you are IN. LOVE. WITH." 

Kaiba's jaw hit the floor.

_ Was he that obvious? _

Meanwhile his brother started howling with laughter. 

“How well did I guess?”

His eyes twinkle with mischief. 

“Well you're… somewhat close. But our relationship is a bit more complex…” 

“Who’s isn't?”

He thought about some of the girls he had tried to date.  _ Urghhh. _

“No I mean… really complex.”

“Because he's a man? Damn Seto, it's not the nineties anymore. Who cares?” 

“You… don't mind?” 

“Are you kidding me? I'm proud of you!” 

“Proud for what? It's not like it's a choice!”

Mokuba laughed again.

“I know it's not a choice, if it were, I'd only be interested in men. And Llamas.” 

“Wha… what? Llamas?”

Kaiba felt strangely out of his element. 

“That was a joke. But damn I  _ wish _ I was gay.”

“That makes no sense, it's stigmatized, why would you want that?” 

“That's exactly why!”

Mokuba bounced up and down with excitement. 

“Can you imagine how Gozaburo would react? Finding out his chosen heir is  _ fucking gay?  _ I bet he's spinning in his grave like a windmill. God I'm so happy! Seto, we found a way to spite him YEARS after his death!”

Kaiba's face went blank, before it burst into the biggest, most honest grin he had mustered in forever. 

Then, he recognised the flaw in his plan. 

“Nice and well Moki, but… Yami doesn't want me. And as I said. It's much more complex than you might think.” 

“Tell me about it.” 

Kaiba inhaled deeply.

Was he really going to talk about  _ that _ with his brother? The silence had killed him and seeing Mokuba happy had left him feeling far better than the whole last week.

“... What do you know… about BDSM?” 

Mokuba smiled shyly. 

“Which part? Bondage, discipline, dominance/submission or sado-/masochism?” 

…

“What?” 

\----------------- 

After a lot of confusion, and a slightly shameful discussion about porno usage, Kaiba had to realise, that his younger brother knew  _ far  _ more than he should. 

And even worse, Mokuba seemed quite eager to discuss those things. 

“Tell me all about it!” 

Kaiba was scandalised. What the fuck had happened? 

His brother was only 15, with his 16th birthday coming around next month, but damn, how did he find out about all those things? And why was he so interested? 

“I don’t think so!” 

“Can I meet him? What is he like?” 

“Oh god shut up. Go play a video game or something, I’m not going to talk about that with you.” 

“I bet he’s pretty. Do you think he would let me take photos of him? For social media?”

“MOKUBA, HE IS NOT MY BOYFRIEND.” 

The younger Kaiba grinned slyly. 

“Well. what else is he, then?” 

Fuck. He had walked directly into Mokuba’s trap. 

For the second time today. 

The company was in great hands. 

“He’s my dom.” 

Kaiba mumbled the sentence, hoping that Mokuba wouldn’t quite understand it and let it go, but… oh boy was he wrong. 

“HE IS A DOM?” 

“WAIT THAT MEANS THAT YOU..OH MY GOD I HAVE TO MEET HIM!” 

“I swear to everything you hold dear if you won’t stop yelling about my personal life…” 

“Okay, okay sorry, okay. I’m cool. 

How did you meet?” 

“At a conference.” 

There was another shit eating grin on Mokuba’s face. 

“What type of conference was this? Hmm?”

“That’s it. This conversation is over.” 

“Noooooo!” Mokuba whined. 

“No let me know! I’ve been patiently waiting for months, Seto! You can tell me!” 

“What for, so you can laugh about me?”

Mokuba looked shocked. 

“I’d never do that! Why would I? You are the most amazing person I know! Your preferences and kinks couldn’t change that. I mean, as long as they stay in a safe, sane and consensual range…”

Kaiba squinted his eyes. 

“Safe, sane, consensual, huh? This doesn’t sound like something you’d learn in a porno.” 

Now it was the younger Kaiba that felt embaressed. 

“I- ahhhm--” Mokuba struggled for words, as he tried to explain himself, quickly realising that there was not much to say. He snapped his mouth shut, and just stared at his brother. 

After a minute of uncomfortable silence, the younger Kaiba spoke again. 

“Please Seto. Just… Let me know.” 

And because the older one was able to say “no” to a lot of things, but not his brother, he eventually faltered. 

\--------------------

“Okay. Just to recap. He is a professional dom. And you two have a contract. And he’s also friends with Pegasus. Who has a contract with him, too. And there has been this recent conference where he made promises to both of you, and it all went pretty bad, and you left him some very angry very drunk voicemails, and now he wants to cut you off? Or transfer you, whatever?” 

“Yup.” 

“What is the problem, then?” 

“Did you… not listen to yourself?” 

“Seto if there’s a contract… He can’t just send you away.” 

“It’s not exactly legally binding.” 

“Did he sign it?” 

“Yup.” 

“Then it is.” 

“Okay. Yeah, maybe, but there’s a rule in there stating that both of us can terminate it whenever we consider it necessary.” 

“What does the term “necessary” include?” 

Kaiba sighed in defeat. 

“Moki, I know you try your best. But I  _ can’t  _ trap him. Trust me. I looked this thing over and over again, searching for exploitable loopholes, but it always comes down to “The contract expires as soon as a contracting party exercises its right of cancellation.””

“Can I see it?” 

“The contract?” 

“No. The Llama.” 

“I liked you better when you were younger and thought I’m the coolest person in the world.” 

“I still think that.” 

\--------------------

“So he can basically tell you what to do whenever you are not working?”

“Basically.” 

“And set up all those rules and regulations?” 

“Yup.” 

“So he really is the reason you became so fit and healthy.” 

“Yup.” 

“Does he make you happy?” 

“No, I just like to stress over nothing for weeks.” 

“Seto, I didn’t ask if you are stressed, I asked if you were happy with him before.” 

The older Kaiba offered a noncommittal grunt, rolled his eyes, and finally nodded his head. 

“He can give me peace.” 

“Then you have to get him back. Is there any chance for you to see him again? ” 

“He won’t let me set up any appointments with him.” 

Scoffing, Mokuba noted: “You must have upset him for real.” 

“What I said in those voicemails… wasn’t exactly civil. And when we met to talk things out, I might have gotten up and left, because I was too fucking scared.” 

“Any other chance you might get to see him?” 

Kaiba thought about that long and hard, until he remembered. 

There was an event coming up soon. 

An event Yami had technically invited him to go to. 

“I might have an idea.” 

\----------------------- 

Yami was sweating.

Is was so fucking hot behind the stage, the thick curtains cutting off any possible fresh breath of air. 

Everyone was running around the stage, bumped into each other, cursed, kept running. 

They had prepared the circus for  _ months.  _ Now, everything was running. Yugi had sat at the front of the club, selling and checking tickets. When dinner had been served, he headed back behind the stage, where everyone was waiting for the big show. 

Yami wore an imposing lion costume, his head adorned with a heavy golden crown. On his shoulders sat a pelt similar to a lion mane and completely artificial. It had a gorgeous, golden cape attached, that he sometimes wore, sometimes not. The Pharaoh’s neck was filled with beautiful gold chains, some intricate, some heavy. His lithe form was hugged tightly by a golden bodysuit, that ended in an underbust corset, leaving little to the imagination. Yami’s muscular legs were wrapped in gorgeous golden high heels. His face was adorned with intricate golden makeup. The only disadvantage was the unbearable heat underneath. 

He had been listening to his brother for a while now, Yugi was the ringmaster for the night. 

_ Finally _ , it was his time to step on stage. 

With all the grace he could muster, he stepped up to Yugi, regally looking over the crowd. 

He was unable to recognise anyone, because the lights blinded him, but he was happy to be here. 

_ The only thing that would have improved the night was Kaiba.  _

But Yami decided not to think about it. He shimmied his mane, smirking at the audience. 

While Yugi announced the program for the night, he walked to the back of the stage. 

The costume might have been too warm for the club and the heat from the stage lights was relentless, but  _ damn,  _ he did feel sexy. 

The Palermo was packed. 

They had sold every ticket in advance, holding back a few for… spontaneous guests. 

Yami shook his head. He had to stop thinking about that. 

Seto wouldn't come. 

They hadn't talked for multiple days. The sub had stopped sending reports or pictures a while ago. None of them explicitly stated for their contact to be no longer active, but the consensus was obvious.

_ Fine. _

In the back of the stage, Yami grabbed one of the poles. 

He didn't need Seto. 

He would have fun with or without him. 

The circus was far too important to fuck up, just because he acted like a love sick puppy. 

Yugi walked to the back of the stage, and Yami steeled himself.

_ This was his evening.  _

_ This was his show. _

_ He didn't need the CEO.  _

Suddenly, the music started, and he jumped the pole without any further thought. 

He had done this thousands of times. It was a sport he enjoyed and was extremely good at. 

The music drowned out the excited chatter, and he finally let go of his intrusive thoughts. 

_ Baby I know you know _ _   
_ _ That I'm an animal _

_ And darling you can't tame this kind of man _ __   
_ Baby I tried so hard to be the man you want _ __   
_ But every time you tear my walls down _ _   
_ __ They just build back up again

Yami had been dancing his whole life. He loved it. It was a quick and easy way to release tension.

And being in control of multiple people all day created a lot of tension. 

He loved his job wholeheartedly and he didn't intend to do something else as long as he could. But managing the studio and the club was exhausting. 

Always being in charge and always having to be responsible were exhausting.

Right now, he didn't have to do that. Right now, he could allow his mind to go blissfully blank, while twirling and spinning high in the air and low on the floor. 

The crowd was cheering excitedly, people whistled. Some yelled lewd comments, but he didn't mind and it was far less than on a normal club night.

Kinksters were very polite people in general. 

But it wasn't the general masses he wanted to dance for. Even though he had tried time and time again to convince himself Seto wouldn't come, he found himself checking the blurred faces. 

He had fucked up. They both had fucked up. Why was this so hard? Yami momentarily closed his eyes when his back was to the crowd. Damn. The intrusive thoughts were back. 

_ Told you once _ __   
_ You'll never see me cry _ __   
_ I'm not that kind of guy _ __   
_ But I know you're done with excuses, yeah _ __   
_ Once, I saw you say goodbye _ __   
_ I thought twice about that lie _ __   
_ But I know you know what the truth is _ __   
  


He didn't even know what he hoped for. To realise Seto hadn't shown up because he didn't care anymore… or to find him in the crowd, knowing he was here to take up Yami's offer to meet the other Dom.

His stomach flipped, and it wasn't because he hung upside down on the pole. 

_ But these old shades _ __   
_ Make me feel safe _ __   
_ And these gold chains _ __   
_ Make me feel brave, baby _ __   
_ It ain't you, so please don't change _ __   
_ I can't be true to no one else _ _   
_ __ Too busy lying, lying to myself.

What would Seto think about his performance? Would he be lusting over Yami, just like big parts of the audience did? Would it be too lewd for him and he'd rather turn around and chat up some other man, or god forbid, woman? Was he even gay, or had he bisexual tendencies? Pan? Demi? Yami had always postponed to ask, because he thought they'd have  _ time _ . 

Just like he had postponed to ask about the scars. About his childhood. About his family. He had found out a lot through the media already, but no one except him had any idea how badly the young man had been abused. 

_ He had no idea either.  _

Yami had to remind himself.

He hadn't known Seto had been sexually abused. But he had never asked. Was he a bad dom? 

Should he have opened up more? It was obvious Seto wasn't his regular client. He needed far more support than most, but he also delivered much faster than many did in his position. 

Could Yami have changed the outcome, if he had only taken better care? Opened up about it more? Let Seto in on his feelings right from the start? 

Could they have been happy? 

_ Baby, I know I'm guilty in this game of love _ __   
_ I've fallen back, not showing all my cards _ __   
_ I'm terrified what move life's gonna play on us _ __   
_ And I'm sure it just takes courage _ _   
_ __ But I'm scared to find that high

Yami didn't want to think about it anymore. He had been martyring himself with these thoughts for days, knowing they would lead nowhere, but being unable to stop himself. 

He wanted to start again. Do better this time. Yes. Seto had made mistakes. But wasn't that, because he had failed to guide him? 

Now it was too late and whatever they had built in the last months had been broken. 

Seto would either choose another dom, or go back to repressing his tendencies. 

_ What a fucking waste. _

Yami smiled bright for the audience, recognising old and new friends, but also seeing a lot of people he hadn't met yet.

His heart wasn't in it though. 

_ But these old shades _ __   
_ Make me feel safe _ __   
_ And these gold chains _ __   
_ Make me feel brave, baby _ __   
_ It ain't you, so please don't change _ __   
_ I can't be true to no one else _ __   
_ Too busy lying, lying to myself.  _ __   
  


He dropped back onto the floor, his hands and arms aching. Overall he was happy with his performance. 

He doubted people would realise how deep in thought he was.

Everyone was howling. 

He smiled to himself.

Yami could command every stage,  _ even  _ if his heart wasn't in it. 

He waved his goodbye, behind the scenes people would need his attention for far less fascinating activities. 

Yugi walked back on stage, and Yami turned around, hurrying to clean the floor for the next acts. 

Just as he spun around, he caught a familiar mob of light brown, fluffy hair. 

_ Seto.  _

_ He was here.  _

\------------------

Yami ached to go out and great him, to interact with him  _ at all _ , but he couldn't. They had a long and complex program that needed to be supervised, just as well as the location needed preparing. 

The caterer had cancelled a week in advance, and they had to call around until basically the last minute. 

He hurried off stage, shrugging off his pelt and laying it aside so he could put it back on when he had to leave the set. 

Behind the curtains, Anzu was starting a dance number with Yugi. She had always been a great dancer, but since she added aerial elements, it was magnificent. 

He pitied his brother a bit because there was  _ no chance in hell  _ he'd leave this stage without a massive boner. 

Not that the guests wouldn't love that. 

_ They'll probably ask him to take it out…  _

Mai stepped up next to him. She was wearing a costume, too, and somehow she managed to look hot as hell. 

Not that this was surprising in general, but today, she was dressed in the gown version of Abraham Lincoln's famous costume, completely with top head and a full beard 

She handed Yami a clipboard and a tablet with all event informations. When he looked up at her, he couldn't stop himself.

“I've never been so attracted to you. With that beard? I'd might let you blow me. Sure, I'd had to close my eyes, but I could  _ pretend _ it's the real Lincoln.” 

Mai snorted with amusement, but Jou behind her huffed angrily. 

She clapped back: “Yeah since sucking your dick would be such a privilege. I know what a slut you are and I'd like for my lips to stay free of herpes blisters, thank you very much.” 

Yami looked honestly offended, while Jou almost screamed with laughter. 

“Anyway, where is Otogi? And Honda? They are up next! I swear to god if they are fucking in costume again…”

Suddenly, both Mai and Jou grew suspiciously quiet, looking everywhere but not at him, dusting off invisible lint. 

“Oh come on, not the two of you, too!” 

Jou spoke first. 

“It's not our fault! They were happily fucking each other in the changing room… and mistress was putting my tail in so I was on my knees with nothing to do anyway and her dressed slipped up and…-” 

“This is a floor length gown.” 

Jou looked away, more ashamed than Yami had seen him in a while.

“Guys you can fuck around ALL YOU WANT. But please, I beg you, wait until the show is over!” 

The curtain opened again and a very flushed Yugi came back with a heavily panting Anzu.

Yami gripped his wrist.

“No fucking until the show is over!” 

Yugi looked bewildered.

And caught. 

At this moment, Honda and Otogi slipped to the group. 

Both were breathing harder than appropriate, and Yami angrily tapped their chests.

“NO FUCKING UNTIL THE SHOW IS OVER!” 

He paced the back angrily. 

“You two! Up on stage!” - he pointed at the recently arrived studio members - “Mai, you get your fucking dog into his horse suit. Has anyone seen Shizuka? I need a fucking drink. If I go out now, they will never let me get back…” 

Mai pressed forward carefully.

“Yams, I know I'm not your mother and you're a big boy, but you really shouldn't drink today…”

“Water! I need water, Mai! All I want is some fresh fucking -” 

He needed to stop himself to repress a sob.

Yugi ushered everyone away and sat Yami down.

“He's out there, I know.” 

The dom took a shaky breath. 

“Yes…” 

“That's good, right? You wanted to see him!”

“I know, but… what if he's here because of DM? Fuck, we haven't even talked the last few days, I couldn't even tell him he cancelled…” 

“Didn't he say he'd not come here for someone else?” 

Another shaky breath. 

Then, a nod. 

Yami leaned his head on his brothers shoulder. 

“What if he's here to end things…” 

“Have you seen him? Really seen him? He's wearing a costume. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't dress up for a breakup.” 

Another, deeper sob. Yami mustered all his strength to hold back tears.

“I would.” 

“You're an extra bitch. And now stop this, you're going to ruin your makeup.” 

Sniffling, Yami smiled.

Yugi was right. 

“Thank you.”

“You're welcome, you angsty bitch. Now pick yourself back up, go out there and show him what he misses out on if he doesn't take you back.

Another deep breath, another sniffle.

“I never asked him to take me back.” 

“You are the dumbest person alive.”

\-----------------

Yami sat behind the stage, trying to get a grip on himself. 

Yugi had to leave him so he could continue with the show, and Yami was eternally grateful that at least one of them had their shit together. 

He would have never forgiven himself if his personal problems reflected badly on the studio. Or the club. Or his friends and family. 

He took another shaky breath. 

_ Okay. One more exhale, Then he’d stop being a bitch and get back to work. He had looked forward to this.  _

Yugi’s voice echoed back from stage. After Mai and Jou had performed a horse-petplay number, he announced a small break to the guests. They were obviously excited, because now they could run around and check out the club. Most of them already knew about the hidden studio part behind thick walls, the rest would soon find out. 

One last breath. 

Yami got up and walked to the stairs, collecting his pelt and stepping onto the stage to join his brother in the limelight. 

The second he slipped through the curtains, a wide smile was plastered on his face, and from the guests distance, you couldn’t see that it didn’t reach his eyes. 

“Thank you, thank you!” 

He confidently stepped next to his brother. 

“Is everyone enjoying themselves at the Circus of Sin?” 

The crowd howled. 

“I’m so happy to hear that! I can’t wait to get around and talk to all of you. I bet you all have your own  _ sinful  _ stories to tell.” 

He winked suggestively, and snickers and murmurs broke free. 

“Of course we don’t want to bore you during our little break. 

So we’ve got different attractions for you.” 

Yami pointed around the room, offering the guests different activities and play stations. They had prepared minigames to entertain them. 

“... and then there is always your chance to get your sword swallowed.”

He winked again, and welcomed Pegasus on stage, wearing a gorgeous peacock headpiece and nothing else. 

“I’m sure you will find a way to entertain yourselves. We will be back soon.” 

He turned and walked out, no longer able to stand the faces of the crowd, all gawking and greedy. 

Yami didn’t feel so sensual anymore. He felt sick. And even worse, Kaiba was nowhere to be seen.  _ What if he left while he had his little meltdown off stage?  _

Yugi was right. He  _ was  _ the dumbest person alive. 

\------------

“One of the spotlights blew out.” 

The light technician grabbed Yami’s tablet and pulled up a simulation of the light show. 

“See? This one, number 19, it’s a downstage centre lamp. I obviously can’t fix it right now with the crowd standing in front of the stage, do you want to replace it with one of the bigger area lamps, but then the light will be less focused, and the stage won’t be as bright in general, or -” 

“No. We will need a bright stage.” Yami grabbed the tablet back. “But this one right here, the chair downlight. We don’t need this anymore, Yugi is done, can we get this into another spotlight?” 

“It’s not as bright and the wrong colour, but it would work.” 

“I just… you know what you do better than I do, please just choose the preferable option, okay?” 

She smiled at him, patted his back, and hurried away. 

Just when he thought he’d have a minute for himself, Mai stepped up to him. 

“Bitchboy is looking for you.” 

Yami spun around, looking harassed. 

There were a lot of people he could imagine Mai referring to as bitchboy, but he hoped for one in particular. 

“ _ Which  _ bitchboy?”

“Yours.” 

He wanted to hug her and to choke her at the same time. 

“Are you sure?” 

“Well he’s running around asking for you, so… yes.” 

“Fuck, why didn’t you send him in here?” 

“Because you are so busy you didn’t realise the auction should have started 3 minutes ago.”

“FUCK!” 

\---------------------

The twins basically ran on stage. 

They had been clever enough not to tell anyone about their time table, so no one noticed if they were late except the crew, but it frustrated Yami nonetheless.

Yugi slipped out and Yami turned to Mai. 

“Please find Shizuka and tell her to tell him that- “

“Yeah yeah I know, hurry!” 

He nodded gratefully and watched Mai turn around, then he followed his brother. 

The younger twin was already pacing the stage, flirting left and right with everyone. Yami liked to joke about him and his inferiority when it came to stage presence, but he knew, that Yugi was actually very capable of being charming and flirtatious when he was asked to, he was just not as much of a natural as Yami was. 

But Yugi was doing an amazing job as ringmaster, and Yami was proud. 

He stepped next to his brother, but made no move to speak. 

Shortly after, the rest of the studio members poured on stage.

Meanwhile, the younger twin had gathered the masses around him, explaining to them, what would happen next. 

“Tonight, you will get your chance to get closer to the fun! 

Our beautiful body of studio members will be auctioned off for an incredible, unforgettable night. Fulfill yourself a wish, and come and play with us, not only in the studio but here, in the special rooms as well!” 

Yami smirked. Yugi said “us”, as if he was auctioned off, too. 

But instead he’d do what he knew best. 

Bookkeeping and selling. 

He run around, rocking the stage, jumping up and down, all happy and excited and Yami was suddenly quite sure he himself was the  _ only member _ of the studio that followed the “No sex until the show is over.” rule. Rude. 

But when his eyes roamed the crowd and finally found Kaiba, he suddenly understood the others. He’d break it, too, if he could. 

The place, the night, the atmosphere, everything was loaded with tension and anticipation. And the way Kaiba stared at him didn’t really help. 

He had seen the powerful man in all kinds of positions and situations. 

Defiant and proud, angry and hurt, scared and vulnerable, happy and peaceful, excited and aroused. 

But the sheer volume of his determination right now was new. 

At least for Yami. 

Kaiba looked stern, and absolutely unmoveable. 

Whatever he had set his mind to, the Pharaoh was sure no one could challenge it. He wished it would be in his favour. 

He didn’t dare to hope. 

\-----------------

“Ladies and Gentlemen. The last piece of meat for tonight. Get yourself, or a friend, something nice! My beautiful brother right here is aaaaaall alone tonight, and YOU could change that!”

Yami felt his heart beat excitedly. 

Auctions were always fun, and the night had been an absolute success this far. He was the last on stage, save for Yugi, who did his best to sell him to a nice price. 

And the house was full. The crowd was excited. The clientele came prepared to pay huge sums of money. 

Yami smiled enticingly into the masses again, from time to time winking at people and wiggling his eyebrows if Yugi made a particularly lewd comment. 

There were a lot of people interested in him. This was nothing new to the dom. Those nights were the only ones when he took on female clients, so there was a surprisingly big number of horny housewifes trying to get a night with the head dom. 

Yami didn’t mind. He actually liked working with women. 

He just refused to do it on a regular basis, because it ensured customers to Mai and Otogi. Not that he’d ever tell them this. 

But tonight, he had hoped for someone specific. 

Someone he  _ knew  _ could afford whatever price tag Yugi put on him. 

And that someone was busy staring unmoved. 

_ Come on, Kaiba. Those are peanuts for you.  _

But maybe, he was just here to show off and look delectable. 

Yami had to shake himself out of his stasis, when he realised he had been staring. 

_ Why was the bastard wearing latex pants?  _

He mentally went back to presenting himself like a peacock. 

Over time, the crowd of bidders thinned out. 

Suddenly, there was a voice he knew very well. 

And it was not Kaiba. 

Waving from the sideline, Pegasus grinned up at him. 

_ Why the fuck would he pay auction prices when he could have a normally priced session? This was ridiculous.  _

Not that he would complain. 

They could buy a lot of new, fun stuff with that money. 

Soon, everyone else gave in, not many people on the globe could outbid Pegasus. But one person could. And he was here. 

Time was running out. 

\--------------------

Yami could feel his brother get agitated. He didn’t want to end it here. 

Good. Because Yami wasn’t ready, either. 

He felt himself look over to Kaiba again and again, who by now had plastered an intimidating smirk to his face. 

_ The bastard knew exactly what Yami was waiting for.  _

“Is this  _ the last offer? _ ” Yugi blatantly stared at Kaiba, but he couldn’t see the ringmaster, since he had his eyes locked to Yami. 

Locked  _ with  _ Yami. 

Yugi snapped. 

“Damn guys, I can cut the tension with a knife, Kaiba are you sure you don’t want to bid?” 

“HEEEEY!” 

Pegasus was obviously unhappy about Yugi’s forwardness. 

Suddenly, the younger CEO looked up, as if a trance had been broken, and stared at Yugi. 

“I do want to bid.” 

“Oh my god. Finally.” 

The smaller twin didn’t even try to hide his emotions anymore. 

“Took you long enough!” 

“This is not fair!” 

Yugi turned to Pegasus. 

“Shut up or I’ll have someone shove a dick into your throat, I don’t even care. This is my circus, I’m the ringmaster. Do you want to up your offer, or only bitch around?” 

The crowd roared happily, and even though Yami felt uneasy, he had to give Yugi credit. He knew how to work the sub. 

Within minutes, the bids racked higher than the price of everyone else. Combined. 

_ This was getting ridiculous. He couldn’t explain this kind of money in taxations, even with the studio and the club.  _

Looking over to Yugi, he realised that his brother had come to a similar conclusion, since he had stopped encouraging the men a while ago. However, that didn’t stop them from continuing on their own. 

This was a shitfest and Yami had to end it, if he didn’t want them to jump each other’s throats. 

He gathered his courage. With two men that powerful, and completely in their element, supported by a large, drama-hungry crowd, he didn’t feel that dominant anymore. 

_ No time for self doubts.  _

He snatched Yugi’s microphone. 

“I’m flattered, boys, that you are fighting over me  _ again,  _ but this isn’t going to work out. Why don’t we talk this out like grown-ups?”

Pegasus yelled another, ridiculous number. 

Yami rolled his eyes, but just as he went to speak, Kaiba yelled back. 

It was like a kindergarten. 

Yugi snatched the microphone back. 

“Proposition. And if you don’t accept it, I’ll disqualify you. Both of you pay half of the agreed fee. You both get to play with Yami. One on stage, one in private. Coin toss decides. What do you all think?” 

The crowd erupted at the thought of being given a public show with Yami. 

Oh no. This was bad. 

\---------------------------- 

The next events blurred past Yami in a rush. 

The evening dragged on forever, but at the same time, everything was going too fast.

Yugi tossed a coin. 

Pegasus won the play session on stage. 

Kaiba won the play session in private. 

The studio members cleared the area and brought play instruments. 

Yami advised Yugi to put one hour on the clock. 

Then, he got to work with one of his oldest friends. 

It was easy for him to create an intimate atmosphere, even though so many people were watching. That was partly caused by the fact it was surprisingly silent and calm. Even Kaiba was behaving, sitting on the side, pouting, but otherwise cooperative. 

The time passed easily, and Yami was surprised, when Yugi stepped into his field of view, indicating that his time was almost up and that he should focus on aftercare now. 

So much for the part he could easily plan.

He gathered his bearings and tried to get himself and the crowd under control, that was now coming back to life with increased force. 

They had been stunned into obedient silence, but once the spell was broken, lust and excitement hung in the air heavily. 

Yami dragged himself to the doors on the far right, the wall opposite the eating area. He opened them in a big gesture, allowing the giddy crowd to pour through and settle in the rooms that lay behind. 

The Palermo offered all types of wonders. 

Theme rooms, big open floors, an outside area. Basically everything you could want to openly and secretly play or fuck. 

Yami wasn’t interested in all of this. 

There was one thing on his mind, and that “thing” was waiting next to the stage, looking like a snack, and apparently by some wonder still ready to play. 

The dom wasn’t even engaging in polite conversation. Many people tried to chat him up on his way, but he declined, set on returning to the stage as soon as possible to reclaim his prize. 

When he finally found Kaiba, he linked arms, not even waiting for a comment or remark. Before he could lead him somewhere reclusive though, Mai stuck her head out. 

“Hey Pharaoh!”

Instead of answering her, Yami closed his eyes and turned around, offering her his back. 

“PHARAOH!” 

Wow, now he had to turn around. He snapped a clipped: “What?” over his shoulder. 

In return, Mai gave him a shit eating grin. She spoke just loud enough to be understood over the excited crowd. 

“No fucking during the show.” 

But Yami just grinned back at her, momentarily stunning her. 

“The show is over.” 

\---------------------------

They walked through the rooms without stopping once. Left and right, people were gasping, moaning, screaming, laughing, crying and the atmosphere got to Yami. 

He felt nervous, his body reacting to the distinct sounds around him, his general excitement about the show, his recent play session minutes ago, and probably most of all, the feeling of Kaiba so physically close to him again. Seto. 

Yami navigated them into the back, through a big puppy play area and up a staircase. 

He could feel Kaiba tensing in his arms. No doubt, he was overwhelmed with the impressions. It was his first party after all. 

“It's okay, just one more door.”

They stopped in front of a bookshelf in the puppy play area.

Yami could  _ feel, _ actively  _ feel,  _ Kaiba repressing a commentary. 

When he slid out a specific book and the hinges opened, a pathway was revealed. 

Kaiba stared at him.

“What kind of secret shit is this?”

Smiling at him, Yami walked through it and up the staircase behind it. 

“It's my office.” 

“And why the fuck are you taking me there? I've seen enough play rooms down there that looked just fine.” 

Yami turned around to drag the taller man with him. 

“Do you really think we should play now?” 

“That's what I paid for after all…” 

“Ok. Here's an offer. You can choose. Either, I'm going to take you to the fanciest play room we have and entertain you for the rest of the night, doing with you whatever the fuck you want this one last time and we part ways after,  _ or _ you're coming to my office with me where we discuss this clusterfuck.” 

Kaiba scrunched his brows.

“Is this another one of those scenarios where you give me a choice but there's actually a right and wrong answer?”

“Isn't the answer I expect you to give obvious?” Yami deadpanned.

“I already  _ took you to my office, _ what do you think I'd prefer?” 

Kaiba answered with a huff and followed Yami through the door. 

He seemed surprised at what he found inside. Bookcases, a computer, a sofa. 

_ He probably expected it to be a bit more sexy. Sorry to disappoint. _

_ Not really.  _

“Sit.” 

Yami pointed at the white leather sofa, directly to the left when you came up the stairs. 

Kaiba did as he was told and Yami got himself the office chair from his computer to sit opposite him. It wasn't his throne, but who cares. 

“Okay first things first. Dark magician isn't here. He had a last minute change of plan and -” 

“I don't care. I'm not here for him.” 

“Right. And don't interrupt me. As I said, he isn't here and- ” 

“I. Am. Not. Here. For. Anyone. Else.”

Yami stared at him. 

_ What the fuck had he just said about being interrupted?  _

Kaiba seemed to feel the tension. He added, a bit more peacefully: 

“I'm sorry Pharaoh, but don't waste your breath on anyone else. I'm here for you. And this isn't a playroom. This is a business discussion. Don't expect me to step back from my point. Obviously, our contract isn't in effect right now. So I figured I'd talk to you like I'd talk to every other businessmen. And right now, you are boring me.” 

Yami grinned.

“I know what you’re trying. It won't work. I'm not going to punish you for this.” 

Kaiba got up and sat back down directly in front of Yami. Suddenly, he leaned up, much too quickly for the other man to react, and placed his lips on Yami's. 

He rocked back and looked up through his brown bangs.

“Will you punish me for this?” 

Yami didn't know what to do or what to say. His mind was running like crazy, but the thoughts crashed into him much too fast to actually grasp one. 

Kaiba had kissed him. 

Kaiba had stolen their first kiss.

Seto was kneeling in front of him, boldly opening himself for punishment just for one kiss.

Seto had come back to him. 

He desperately tried to find a coherent thought, but all he could think about were those blue eyes, this mischievous, unapologetic smirk, the highly kissable lips.

Yami dropped from the chair and hit his knees. Hard. 

But he didn't care. There was one thing on his mind, and that was bridging the gap between their bodies. Talking be damned. 

He crawled the last centimeters forward, shamelessly straddling Seto as he climbed onto his lap. 

Without a second thought, Yami leaned forward and started kissing him passionately. 

Kaiba responded with surprise and enthusiasm.

It was the worst and best kiss Yami ever had. Because it was so blatantly obvious Seto had no idea what he was doing.

_ That was okay. Yami would teach him. Yami could spend hours, days, weeks teaching him and wouldn't grow tired.  _

He felt heated in a pleasant way. Pulling back, he stared into the ocean blue eyes in front of him and felt like he'd drown. 

_ How unprofessional would it be too bend him over his desk? His couch? Anywhere with a flat surface? It didn't even need to be flat…  _

It took a second for his lust filled brain to get back on track. 

_ He's a virgin! He couldn't bend him anywhere!  _

Yami growled and climbed even closer, sitting pressed up so tight his whole front was touching the other man. 

“I'm terrible. And I'm sorry. But I want you so bad and that's unprofessional and-” 

He was silenced with a kiss. This one was far better, Seto was a quick learner. 

He pulled away and stared at Yami.

“Fuck me.” 

The Dom's jaw unhinged. 

“I'd love to, but -” 

“No but! Just fuck me!” 

Yami smiled again.

“You're so eager. You've always been so eager.” 

They shared another kiss.

Yami tried desperately to lower the passion, to turn down the heat, but it was hard. 

Breathlessly, he tried to speak. 

“Another deal. We talk about our issues first. Then, and only then, I'm going to think about fucking you.” 

He leaned back to support his point. 

Seto tried to follow him, before he grinned mischievously.

“You know, I could just push you down. We're all alone, and I'm bigger and heavier than you.” 

Laughing at that, Yami gave back: “And then what? Straddle me and ride me into the sunset? Come on boy, you can't tell me you'd think you could top me, not even in your biggest power play fantasies.” 

Seto sulked, but remained quiet. 

Yami's smile became more warm and less teasing. 

“Trust me. I want that. Just not right here, right now. I first need to know what's up. And what will happen after this.” 

Seto seemed to actually consider his words.

“I don't know what's up. But whenever you're involved, I seem to lose my mind. I can't fucking think straight.” 

Yami giggled.”It would be a pity if I, out of all people, would make you think  _ straight. _ ” 

“Oh shut up!” He gave Yami a quick kiss to stifle his laughter. 

“I couldn't concentrate on anything in the last half year. Do you know what you do to me? My baby brother knows I’ve got a dom!”

He gifted Seto with a dazzling smile.

“Mokuba knows about me?”

“And apparently you know about him.”

“Of course I do - you’re a celebrities! What a shitty dom would I be to not know about your brother?” 

“A pretty shitty one.” Kaiba admitted. 

Yami drew small circles on Seto's chest. “I'd rather hear about those not-so-straight thoughts you're having about me.” 

He leaned forward and kissed him gently, trying to encourage the other man. 

Seto seemed to bloom under his touch. “I have a lot of thoughts on you. About how much I want you. All of you.” 

He struggled with himself, but months of reflection and reporting his thoughts made it easier to formulate his inner turmoil. 

“I want you. Not just your dick. You. I want to wake up next to you and have you tell me which shirt to wear. I want you to eat healthy breakfast with me and kiss me goodbye when I have to leave for work. I want to spend my lunch breaks with my head in your lap or between your thighs, whichever you prefer. I want to spend evenings in the tomb with you, but I also want to take you home with me after that. I want to cook dinner with you and watch movies with Mokuba. I want to wear your collar and warm your bed. I want to please you.” 

Yami breathed deep.

He felt his nerves flare up and his stomach do somersaults.

“Fuck. I think I love you.” 

Kaiba looked at him, incredulity and anger in his eyes.

“Don't just say this like that! Don't pretend it means any-” 

Yami had pressed himself up to him as close as possible again, cupping his cheeks and kissing him sweetly. He murmured between quick pecks, again and again, “mine” and “I love you”s.

Over time, Seto relaxed. Apparently, Yami meant it. He started to kiss back, to search for the comforting warmth of now increasingly familiar lips. 

“I love you, too.” 

Both stared at each other, and suddenly started to giggle. So much stress, all the pain of the last 6 months, all the restraints and fears, fell from their shoulders. 

They continued to mash their faces together, confirming their feelings time and time again, hoping to god that the other one would believe them and think the same. 

Yami didn't know how long they sat on the floor like that, sharing bits of their adoration for each other and speaking about their fears. He just knew, he hadn't felt so good in many months. 

By now, Seto's legs had to be numb, but he didn't ask him to get up and he didn't want to. 

So he stayed. 

At some point, Yami burrowed his head in the crook of Seto's neck. He started kissing his jaw.

“Are we going to do this?” 

Seto opened his eyes and looked down. “Do what?” 

Yami gave him a warm, open mouthed kiss on his neck, breathing against the skin.

“This.” 

He closed his arms around the taller form and pulled him close. 

Seto smiled and closed his eyes again.

“If you will have me… you were the one trying to terminate the contract.”

Furrowing his brows, Yami replied: “I was scared. Scared of my feelings. Scared you wouldn't return them.” 

He moved somehow even closer, almost crushing Seto in his embrace. 

The latter one turned his head slightly, so he could look at Yami. 

“I love you.”

Smiling, the dom kept placing little kisses on him. 

He was scared. Scared he'd wake up and realise that it was one of the many dreams, that plagued him for weeks.

One way to be sure. He straightened up, and playfully bit into Seto’s lip, who in turn growled and bit back. 

_ Ouch. _

Yami was more than happy, both, for the bite to hurt, because it was real, and about being able to predict Seto’s actions. 

He smiled into yet another kiss, this time less sloppy and more fierce. The sub was understanding the concept and appeal of kissing extremely fast, so Yami was content it wouldn’t take long for him to master it. The better the kisses got though, the more he felt his body stirr, and it didn’t take long for both of them to turn into hungry, lust filled messes again. 

The Pharaoh slipped his hand into the brown, fluffy hair, and tugged playfully. Surely, his office floor wasn’t the right place for their first fuck. But Yami felt the need to do  _ something.  _

“Why don’t we head back downstairs and find a nice room to play? I wanna know how often you can cum in one night.” 

He bit playfully into Seto’s earlobe, nibbling on it before he licked up the shell. 

“Yes Pharaoh.” 

\-------------------------

Mokuba rolled over on the comfortable, plush sofa. 

_ Was there a noise? _

He sat himself up, looking around, still feeling dizzy. 

Had he fallen asleep waiting for Seto? 

A quick glance to the clock above the TV told him it was around 6 AM. Had he missed his brothers return? 

Another noise from the hallway, and something that sounded like a giggle. 

For a short moment, Mokuba was convinced someone had broken into their house. But both he and his brother had checked the security plan, there was no way someone could easily get into the mansion. 

“Seto?” 

The noise was silent immediately. 

Then, the door to the living room opened, and his brothers face entered his field of vision. 

“Oh. Hey. You're up. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you… “ 

Mokuba almost sprang to his feet in excitement.

“Is this a walk of shame? Please tell me it's a walk of shame! Please tell me you spoke to Yami and you sorted your shit!” 

His brothers silhouette shook his head curly. “No walk of shame. The party really was  _ that long.”  _

With a little less excitement but still full of vigor, Mokuba continued. “And have you had fun? Surely you weren't there all night because you hated it? “ 

“No I… yeah. Let's say I had fun. Or a rather pleasant revelation.” 

“Which one? Is he taking you back? Come on Seto, give me something to work with!” 

He heard a light chuckle from the door, before it opened wider to reveal a second, much smaller form next to his brother. 

“Well … why don't you ask him yourself. You said you wanted to meet Yami?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear Asagi.   
> I can't wait to hear you gloat about the bet. Text me when you read the chapter, so I can get your prize to you.   
> Love, Venom. 
> 
> As for the rest of you, we hope you enjoyed crying. :3  
> <3


	13. Tell me is it too soon, To be thinking bout you, Kinda like I always do

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone.
> 
> Sorry for the leave of absence. It wasn't planned or intended, however real life has gotten in the way and this chapter is proving to be rather difficult. Thank you for waiting patiently and not sending the mob after us. We love you all, and we truly are sorry. <3
> 
> This chapter is dedicated to the wonderful Taedae. We love you babes. <3
> 
> Enjoy!

Kaiba fidgeted where he stood, anxiously fiddling with his sleeve as he stared at Mokuba. He could feel Yami’s presence to his left, which grounded him slightly. However, he wished Mokuba would say something. Instead, his little brother was just staring from his spot on the couch, blurry eyed with sleep, but very alert.

Kaiba couldn't stand it any longer.

“For fucks sake! Say something!” He blurted out, agitation clear in his voice. Mokuba and Yami turned to stare at him, both with looks of astonishment at his sudden outburst.

Kaiba felt like he was under a microscope, being cross-examined.

He hated it.

The CEO crossed his arms and stared defiantly ahead of him, resisting the urge to crawl behind Yami, and hide behind his knees. Mokuba, on the other hand, looked at Yami. The dom met his eyes.

“Is he allowed to speak like that in front of you?” 

“Nope. But this is an unusual case. So that one can slide.”

Kaiba didn’t fail to pick up on the underlying meaning of those words: next time he would speak like that, there would be punishment. 

He bit the inside of his cheek and looked at the floor, resisting the urge to argue back. Although Mokuba’s next words had his head shooting straight back up.

“Pity. I was hoping to get some tips on how to get him to be my bitch again. It’s never been the same since I hit puberty. All of a sudden it’s gone from, -” and here he put on a deep, over-exaggerated grumpy voice. “- ’Yes Mokuba, anything you want.’ to ‘Mokuba, you’re the Vice President of Kaiba Corp - do it yourself.’ It sucks!” 

Yami just laughed.

“You know, I can help you out if you want?” Kaiba looked stunned as Yami approached the couch.

“Wh-what?!” Kaiba stuttered out. Yami turned and looked at him with a smirk.

“Nothing. Now go and be a good boy, Seto and get us some drinks. And while you’re at it, I want some fruit.” 

“Yes, Seto. Be a good boy.” His brother grinned at him, as if he was the most innocent soul alive. 

Kaiba just gritted his teeth and muttered out a “Yes, your Majesty.”, before heading towards the kitchen. He shot one last glance over his shoulder to see Yami and Mokuba with their heads together, speaking excitedly. He sighed and went to do as he was told.

Yami lifted his head up, as he noticed Kaiba approaching him with a tray loaded with a jug of water, a teapot, glasses, mugs, and an assortment of fruit. He beamed, as his sub put the tray on the coffee table.

“Thank you, baby boy.” He said warmly. Kaiba gave him a small, but genuine smile as he looked back at him. Yami could only remember how those lips felt against his own.

“Yeah, thanks big bro.” Mokuba spat out while already taking a large bite out of an apple. Seto just glared at him, but that didn’t deter the younger Kaiba. He just grinned and munched away on the apple, periodically taking sips of water. 

Yami meanwhile poured himself a cup of tea and started picking grapes off of the stem. He put one in his mouth, and Kaiba watched entranced at the way his lips encircled the tips of his fingers for just that split second. However, all Kaiba could remember was how those lips felt against his own. 

Feeling himself blush, he looked away, embarrassed at how horny he was feeling. He’d already been put through his paces time and time again that night - he couldn’t possibly have anything left to give. But he did. Kaiba squirmed where he was still very much aware of their activities. He felt his dick twitch in the tight confines of his latex leggings. 

_ Fuck.  _ He held back a groan as the fabric rubbed enticingly against it, and it took everything he had not to cause further stimulation. Yami might not like it, and not only that, but Mokuba was in the room.  _ Fuck! Get a grip of yourself!  _ Trying to distract himself, Kaiba sat down on the floor next to Yami’s feet. Despite the fact that he was currently in his own home, and not at a play session, it was a grounding for him. He felt comfortable like this.

Next to him, Yami had been observing his internal struggle out of the corner of his eye. He repressed a chuckle as he noticed the slight bulge his sub was trying to cover up, as well as how tense his thighs were. It didn’t take long for the Dom to realise that Seto was doing everything he could not to grind his dick into his leggings. Tearing his attention away from Seto, he focused on what Mokuba was saying. Something about a new game they were developing. 

It wasn’t really Yami’s topic of interest - Yugi was the one who enjoyed games. But on the other hand, he loved how passionate Mokuba was speaking about it, and he really liked the younger brother so he made an effort to converse with him about it. However, what was in his best interest, was seeing how worked up Kaiba could get before he started begging for attention.

Yami bet that it wouldn’t take long.

And he was right.

Quarter of an hour had passed before Kaiba had had enough. He was extremely horny, warm, and his whole body ached with need. He cleared his throat and leaned his head on Yami’s knee, pressing his whole body flush against his leg. Smirking, Yami reached a hand down to thread his fingers through Kaiba’s hair, gently scratching his fingernails against his scalp. Kaiba whimpered slightly before he could stop it. Mokuba paused mid sentence where he’d been explaining about programming of some sort. He cast a perplexed look over at his big brother, taking in the sweat gathering at his hairline, and the flush on his cheeks.

“You okay, Seto?” His voice was filled with concern, but it also had a hint of humour in it. 

After all, no matter what Seto might thought of Mokuba, the younger brother was not a blushing virgin like the older one. He had a sneaky suspicion of what was wrong. 

Before Kaiba could muster the composure needed to reply, Yami responded instead.

“He’ll be fine. It’s just been a long night, so he just needs to go to bed.” Yami’s eyes twinkled with mischief as he looked down at Kaiba. The CEO had to bite his lip to stop himself from moaning. A giggle from next to them caused Yami to look away.

“I’m sure he does need bed.” Mokuba laughed, eyes filled with understanding. “Please, don’t mind me. I’d hate for my big brother not to get the  _ care  _ he requires, Pharaoh.”

Yami chuckled as he translated what Mokuba had said: go and fuck my brother into oblivion.

“Don’t worry Mokuba, I’ll make sure he gets  _ exactly  _ what he needs.” The look he shot at Seto was one filled with hunger, need, desire and lust. The sub felt like he could cum on the spot. 

Standing up, Yami reached down and helped Seto to his feet, reaching an arm around his waist to hold him against his side. He looked back at Mokuba, who seemed like he was ready to burst from repressed laughter. 

“It was very nice to meet you, Mokuba. I’ll see you tomorrow, hopefully.” 

“It was nice to finally meet the guy who’s managed to whip my brother into shape.” A thoughtful look crossed the youngster’s face. “And quite literally, too.”

Kaiba groaned, leaning his head in the crease of Yami’s shoulder as the other two roared with laughter. When the hysterics seemed as if they would never stop, Kaiba squirmed out of Yami’s embrace and stormed to the door. 

“Well since you two look as though you’ll laugh for the rest of the night, I’ll go to bed on my own.” He crossed his arms and looked expectantly at Yami, who in turn stopped laughing to fix Seto with a piercing look. 

One that made the CEO feel like his very soul was being stripped bare, as the Dom unraveled all of his secrets. He resisted the urge to squirm where he stood.

Kaiba knew he shouldn’t be challenging Yami, but at that moment, he couldn’t care less.

He was tired.

He was horny.

He was emotional.

His whole body ached.

His ass was sore and sensitive.

His dick was throbbing with need.

He just wanted to be thoroughly fucked before being cuddled, as he drifted to sleep. 

_ Why the fuck was Yami not getting that!? _

Except, Yami did.

He knew Seto was now at breaking point and he needed to reel him back in. On the other hand, he was still Seto’s Dom. The boundaries might would be changing for them, but there was no way in hell his sub could get away with this.

He crossed his arms and mimicked Seto’s pose. 

“Okay, baby. I’ll join you soon, then?” He responded, tone casual but with the promise that he would come upstairs.  _ When _ he would go to bed was a question left for Seto to decide on, based solely on his behaviour. A question that the CEO picked up on.

Dropping his arms to his side, and lowering his head in an apologetic, submissive bow, Seto sighed.

Mokuba looked between the two, surprised at how quickly his brother seemed to relax, and his heart warming at the proud, loving smile that graced Yami’s face. The younger Kaiba knew, that his brother was deeply in love with the Pharaoh, and he had gained a level of understanding from his conversation with Seto last night, about the amount of trust that seemed to be required for a D/S relationship to work. 

However, seeing first hand his stoic, emotionally constipated brother relax like that was something Mokuba could never prepare himself for. Although, what hit him the most was just how much love Yami was expressing towards Seto, just by smiling and relaxing his stance.

Mokuba felt so much gratitude in that moment for the Dom. No matter what anyone said, Yami was now his family, and Mokuba would protect his brothers with his entire being. 

Yami approached Seto slowly. 

He reached out a hand when he was in front of the sub, and lifted his chin up, so that he could look into the azure depths of his eyes.

The emotions he recognised there made Yami’s heart ache. He saw confusion and fear. The dom realised, that Seto was now scared that he’d already messed things up. Without saying a word, Yami reached up, pulling Seto’s head down, and joined them together with a kiss.

Immediately, Seto relaxed into the touch. It was loving and heartfelt. An apology from both of them. Seto for challenging Yami’s authority, and Yami for pushing Seto, too soon after all the heartache and worry they’d endured.

An awkward cough broke them apart. They looked back at the couch to see Mokuba staring at them, the look on his face unreadable.

“You know, Seto does have a bedroom.” He said wryly. Light chuckles broke the tension and disintegrated every last hint of doubt and tension between the two men. Looking into the warm, amethyst depths of Yami’s eyes, all Seto could see in them was pure love and affection. The CEO felt like he could sing from the rooftops as his heart soared. 

Taking another look into the cerulean ocean that were Seto’s eyes, Yami noticed that the confusion and fear had been replaced with unadulterated love and trust and happiness. His stomach churned as he felt lighter than a feather, his heart jumped in his chest.

They both had the same thought at the same time:

This was right.

This was where they belonged - in each other's arms.

Saying their good nights - or good mornings as Mokuba pointed out - Seto led the way out of the door and up the stairs to his bedroom with Yami trailing behind him.

Opening the door, he stood back to let the Pharaoh enter first. When he closed it after himself, Kaiba stood next to it just watching Yami look around. 

Even though he knew, his bedroom would make millionaires weep at the grandeur of it, Kaiba felt nervous the longer Yami went on without saying something.

He wanted him to like it.

He wanted his approval.

A couple of minutes passed, but to Kaiba, it felt like a century, before Yami looked at him. He smiled warmly at Seto before he pointed at the bed. Kaiba got the message loud and clear: sit there.

So he did.

Once Kaiba was seated on the edge of the bed, Yami slowly sauntered towards him, given Kaiba the impression that he was a delectable piece of meat, Yami couldn’t wait to devour.

A full-body shiver went through him at that thought. 

Yami was five feet in front of him now.

Four feet.

Three.

Two.

One.

Yami straddled his lap, his eyes burning with lust and determination. 

Determination to honour each and every part of his prey.

Kaiba moaned before he was quickly muted by the Pharaoh’s lips, passionately pressing up against his. Their tongues danced together, as they happily drowned in the intoxicating knowledge that they were finally doing this. 

They were finally together.

And they would finally be together. As one.

Kaiba faltered, as he realised this, his breath quickened - and not because of a lack of oxygen. 

Yami broke the kiss, as he felt Seto’s efforts decrease. Leaning back so he could look at his lover’s face, he noticed doubt and what seemed to be nerves swimming in his eyes. It reminded the Pharaoh of their first few play sessions.

“Hey.” Yami muttered, voice low and concerned. “What’s up?”

Kaiba swallowed around the lump that had risen in his throat.

“I-um.” He started. Shaking his head, he tried again. “The thing is...um. You know what, it’s nothing.” 

“Seto.” Yami spoke his name almost like a warning. “Try that again.”

However, Kaiba couldn’t.

He was too nervous.

Too scared.

Too ashamed.

He shook his head.

No. No he couldn’t do it.

Meanwhile, Yami took in the scene, confused and worried about the sudden shift in mood.

“Hey. Hey. Seto, baby, look at me.” He reached a hand under his chin to raise the sub’s head so he could see his face. However, Seto resisted, refusing to look anywhere other than the floor. 

Growing even more concerned, Yami climbed off of Seto’s lap and squatted down next to him, so he could look at his face.

“Seto. What’s bothering you?” Yami’s tone was filled with love and had a soothing quality to it. However, his words were spoken in a way that brokered no argument.

Refusing to meet Yami’s eyes, Kaiba stuttered out an explanation.

“I’ve never...I mean - it’s all - I guess i’m just…” his voice faltered off to little more that an inaudible mumble. 

Frowning, Yami tried to make sense of what he had heard.

“I didn’t catch that last part. You’ve never what?” As Seto finally looked at the dom, face burning with embarrassment, it all clicked into place for him.

He was thrown back to their first session together, many months ago.

\---------

_ “Now, what experience do you have, sexually?” _

_ “I don’t. I mean - it’s never interested me before…” _

_ \------------- _

Despite everything they had done between then and now, there were certain rules that Yami could not break, given their professional bond. That meant that, no matter how many times Yami had made Seto cum, no matter how many times he’d played with his ass, Seto was still very much- a blushing virgin.

A fond, loving smile crawled onto Yami’s face, softening his features and making his eyes shine with love. 

“My sweet, precious baby. You're adorable, do you know that?” Kaiba blushed even harder at Yami’s words and tried glaring. However the effect of it was lost, given how his face was as red as a tomato, and a small grin had found its way onto his face.

The Pharaoh climbed onto the bed and embraced his sub. He whispered in his ear.

“I promised, long ago, to take care of you, because you are my baby boy. I promised that again tonight, but this time, it was because you  _ are  _ my wonderful, loving, hard-working baby boy. You are mine, Seto, in ways no one has been before. I love you with my entire being and I will take care of you and treat you well in every way possible. And if you’re not ready for something, then I will not rush you. I just want to be by your side.” 

A tear ran down Seto’s face, as he turned to stare into Yami’s eyes. He didn’t know what he was looking for, but whatever it was, he found it. Bringing his hands up to cup Yami’s cheeks, he brought their lips together in a loving, tender touch. 

“I love you too.” He choked out, overwhelmed with emotions. He was not used to feeling so loved. Or loved at all, if truth be told. 

Yami brought a hand up to gently run his fingers through Seto’s hair, softly soothing him, but also to ground him again. They stayed like that for a moment, until the sub was able to compose himself.

“I want it.” He muttered into the silence.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” He turned to look into the violet depths of his dom’s eyes once again. “I’ve always wanted it with you.”

Yami nodded and brought Seto back into a kiss. It started off soft and gentle, but it quickly became passionate and hungry. Tongues were roaming everywhere, while Yami used his teeth to leave little nips on Kaiba’s bottom lip. It didn’t take long, before they were both breathless and Kaiba was moaning and fidgeting where he was sat.

He needed more.

“Please.” He begged against Yami’s lips.

“What do you want, baby? Tell me.” The Pharaoh responded, moving to mouth against the sub’s slender neck that strained to meet him. 

“I need...I need you to touch me. Please.” He groaned.

Yami’s mouth was skillfully teasing him, leaving little bite marks across the stark expanse of his neck, nipping where his jugular was pulsing wildly under the layers of skin. They moved further upwards. Kaiba felt hot breath ghost across his ear, sending shivers spiralling down his spine. When Yami spoke, he almost jumped, startled at how a whisper could sound so loud. 

“Since you asked nicely.” The dom pulled back and took a moment to appreciate the wanton mess that was Kaiba Corporation’s CEO. His hair was sticking up in random places from where Yami’s hands had been running through it, while his normally pale complexion was flushed a magnificent red. Swollen lips gleamed with saliva and his eyes were blown wide with lust, silently begging Yami for more.

And they hadn’t even started yet.

Smirking, Yami climbed off the bed and stood in front of him, hands on his hips, leaning to one side. He uttered one word: 

“Strip.” 

Swiftly, Kaiba discarded his shirt, getting it tangled in his tie in his haste to be naked. Growling, he forced himself to remain calm, trying to clear some of the fog from his mind so he could do this seemingly impossible task. 

Meanwhile, Yami was trying his hardest to not openly laugh at the humorous scene, knowing that it would just destroy the mood and make Kaiba put up some of his defences. Instead he remained where he was, feeling as though he might choke on the snickers he was holding back. 

Once Kaiba had managed to undo the knot of his tie, it didn’t take long to remove the rest of his clothing. Before he knew it, he was standing next to his bed in front of Yami, naked and aroused. However, an overwhelming feeling of anxiety blanketed him, as he realised what he was doing.

He was standing.

Naked.

In front of his dom.

_ Was he supposed to kneel here?  _

Looking down at his feet, his hands started fidgeting at his sides.

Kneeling was, what he normally had to do in this situation.

Except...he’d never been in this situation!

They were now at his home.

Yami was now his...boyfriend?

Except...he was still his dom!

And good subs kneel before their doms!

So he would kneel. 

As he started to fall to the floor, a hand reached out and grabbed his elbow. Instinctively, he jumped backwards, since he was too lost in his own mind to notice Yami approach him.

“Hey. Shhh baby. Seto, are you okay?” He inquired.

“I-I…” Kaiba failed to find words to explain, worried that Yami might be angry with him for doubting his position.

He didn’t want to fuck this up. Again. 

“Seto, answer me please. Tell me what’s going on in that wonderful head of yours.” 

As if to highlight his point, Yami brought a gentle, loving hand up to stroke the bangs out of his eyes, smoothing the hair, that was sticking up at the back. 

Feeling shame swallow him, Kaiba admitted his doubts.

“I wasn’t sure if I - well if I should have…” Taking a deep breath, he finished the sentence. “If I should kneel or not. I’m sorry your Majesty! I know I’m supposed to kneel but I-” 

Slightly chapped lips cut off Kaiba’s rambling, and he allowed himself to melt into the kiss. 

A kiss that ended far too soon. Opening his eyes, he looked into the violet ones in front of him. 

“This isn’t a play session, Seto. Even though I am still your dom, right here...right now, I am your loving, caring, sexy as fuck, boyfriend.” He punctuated each adjective with kisses down the length of Kaiba’s neck, ending at his collar bone. Looking up at him, Yami smirked mischievously. “So the only time you’ll be kneeling for me is when you suck my dick or I’m fucking your ass until you can’t think anymore. Do you understand, baby?” Kaiba groaned, nodding enthusiastically. 

“Yesss.”

“Good.”

With that final word, Yami enveloped one of his sub’s erect nipples into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it before giving it a gentle nip. When Kaiba was squirming and his hands were clenching by his side, Yami decided to switch to the neglected nipple and gave it a similar treatment. Reaching down between them, the Pharaoh enclosed one hand around the shaft of Seto’s erection, that had been nudging Yami’s side for the past few minutes. Above him, Seto groaned his head falling backwards as the heat of Yami’s hand caused slivers of pleasure to pulse through him. Giving a few gentle tugs, the dom trailed kisses down the brunet’s torso, teasing him. Making him squirm some more.

Due to their professional relationship, Yami knew just how to tease Kaiba. 

How to make him beg for mercy. 

On the other hand, this wasn’t the time for that.

Yami wanted to show Kaiba just how much he longed for him.

How much he cared for him. 

Kneeling next to the taller man, Yami looked up to see Seto’s head was still facing the ceiling. 

“Seto.” He spoke. “Look at me.”

Slowly, Seto lowered his head and opened his eyes. Surprise flickered across his face to see Yami - still fully clothed - kneeling at his feet, his erection very close to his dom’s face.

It felt unnatural.

Before he could utter a word - or even process the situation correctly - Yami leaned in, opening his mouth wide, refusing to break eye contact, and engulfed the head of Seto’s cock. 

“Shit!” Kaibe exclaimed as the wet heat surrounded his swollen member. He’d never experienced anything like this before. It was new, and exciting, and arousing. 

And so very, very good.

He needed more.

Something Yami was willing to give.

Satisfied with Seto’s response, he moved his head further down the shaft, swirling his tongue around the length. Pulling back, he gently sucked around it, making Seto whimper. As he moved his hands to Kaiba’s thighs, he could feel the strain of his sub’s muscles fighting against the urge to thrust into Yami’s mouth. 

_ Such a good boy,  _ the dom thought. He licked down the length of the erection, sucking onto the skin at the base of Seto’s dick, before moving up and bringing it back into his mouth. He could feel how close Seto was to cumming. It was visible in the way Seto’s legs trembled. In the way his breathing was shallow and quick.

And it was in the way his dick pulsated on his tongue. 

He definitely wasn’t going to last much longer, and Yami loved it.

Sucking harder, Yami skillfully used his tongue to break Seto apart, while also bringing a hand up to fondle his balls.

Despite what people thought, Yami loved giving blowjobs. Some people, once they found out he was a dominus, often got confused since they saw the act as something demeaning. Something dom’s shouldn’t do. However, Yami disagreed. 

He knew better than most, how demeaning the act could be made. Many times he’d used the act with dildos to humiliate his subs - to show them that they belonged on their knees. He’d even knew dom’s, who were intimate with their subs to use the act as a show of worship from their submissives. 

Yami however, loved giving pleasure to his partners. It brought him joy. He also knew, that blowjobs were a very good way to control his partners, if required. A gentle scrap of his teeth reminded them of how delicate a position they were in. A teasing flick of his tongue on their tip reminded them, that he would give what he wanted to give. Withdrawing completely reminded them, that they would not cum until he wanted them to. A blowjob was a very good way of unraveling someone and making them fall apart under his skillful mouth.

After all, no matter where he was or who he was doing, Yami was always on top in the bedroom. 

As the dom gently squeezed Seto’s balls while giving a particularly forceful suck, Seto groaned, his hands curled into fists, causing his fingernails to dig into his palms.

He’d never felt pleasure like this. His whole body was tense like a spring, ready to explode and he could not stop shivering. Every single stroke of Yami’s tongue, every single touch from his hands, every single breath he blew over his shaft and every single suction movement he made caused pleasure to sliver up his spine and across his every nerve ending. 

He couldn’t think of anything else except the addictive ecstasy of Yami blowing him.

The fact that Yami was the one performing this act added another layer to it all.

It was Yami - his dom, his long-term crush...his boyfriend - who was on his knees giving him such intense pleasure. 

And if he looked down…

Yami glanced up at Seto’s face, just as Seto opened his eyes to stare down at him. They locked eyes and slowly, very slowly, Yami took Seto down all the way to the base of his shaft, Seto’s dick hitting the back of his throat.

He swallowed.

However, without warning, Seto grunted above him as he came unexpectedly, shooting his load down Yami’s throat, taking him by surprise and causing him to gag. 

Pulling back, the Pharaoh gasped for breath. His chest was heaving, due to the exertion placed on his lungs. However, it didn’t take very long for him to recover. When he did, he looked over to see Seto had collapsed onto the bed that was behind him. Worried, Yami scrambled to his feet and hovered over him.

A pleasant, almost dopey smile was gracing the sub’s face. His features were all relaxed and there was no sign of stress to be found on it for once. Relieved, Yami allowed a grin to stretch on his own face. He brought a hand to stroke across Kaiba’s forehead, noting the sweat that clung to his brow and hairline. Hooded eyes opened slightly and looked at him. 

“Hey.” Yami whispered, slight traces of humour hugging the one syllable.

“Hey.” Kaiba replied in response.

“You okay?”

Kaiba stretched, reminding Yami of a cat.

“Mmm good.” The look Kaiba gave the dom in that moment was one of pure bliss and contentment.

And love. 

Overwhelmed, Yami leaned down and placed a gentle, loving kiss to his partner’s lips. What he received in return was a sloppy, uncoordinated smooch, almost as if Seto was drunk. Giggling, Yami pulled back. When he looked back at Seto, he saw a confused, almost pouting look on his face. 

“What?” He inquired. 

Shaking his head, Yami just muttered nothing. Too spent to argue, Seto just leaned into Yami’s loving embrace.

They spent a few moments like that, each one just happy to be in the other’s company.

Although, one of them still had a rather neglected erection to take care of.

Feeling rather restless and incredibly horny, Yami started kissing the length of Seto’s neck once more. 

He loved his neck. 

He loved to tease it as much as possible, as he knew how sensitive it was.

Yami also loved how it looked when Seto was lost in throes of pleasure. It would arch, and the muscles would strain, while a red flush would give a delicious colour to the normally pale skin. Also, it was made to wear a collar. Yami would fight anyone who said otherwise. 

As he made his way down to the base of Seto’s neck, the sub hummed in contentment. It was too soon for him to feel excited or aroused again, but he enjoyed the sensations. Looking down, Seto observed his lover. He took in the slight disarray of Yami’s unusual hair, and the ruffled clothing. 

“Having fun?” He uttered. Without looking up, Yami responded.

“Hmm. I will be having lots of fun soon.” A sharp bite to Seto’s collarbone punctuated his point and Seto gasped in shock, as the pain morphed into pleasure. 

Over the course of his relationship with Yami, Kaiba had discovered he loved biting. The initial aching pain always turned pleasurable rather quickly. He always craved more of it. When Yami decides to mark him was his favourite moment. After a session, Kaiba loved nothing more than to see the bruises left behind. They reminded him of what had happened and, more importantly, who he belonged to. It was a primal act of dominance and one that he was addicted to receiving. 

Moving back up Seto’s torso, Yami leaned in to whisper into his ear, nibbling the shell as he spoke. “I want you to lie on the bed properly, resting against the cushions. Spread your legs for me.” 

Shivering, Kaiba did as he was told. While he settled into position, he watched the Pharaoh go through his bag from this evening and saw him extract a few items. Turning back to the bed, a predatory smirk spread across the dom’s face, and he slowly, deliberately sauntered back towards where Seto was waiting for him. 

Placing the bottles of lube and packets of condoms on the bed, Yami made eye contact with Seto, who just raised a questioning eyebrow at the dom. 

Shrugging, Yami replied to the unspoken question.

“I figured we’d need them. Anyway, it’s not stealing - they’re my supplies.” 

Laughing, Kaiba decided that there was no possible response to be made. 

“Are you laughing at me?” Yami pretended to frown, but his eyes twinkled with mischief.

“Maybe.” Kaiba shot back, cheekily. 

“You know,” The dom climbed back onto the bed, settling himself between Seto’s spread legs and trailing a hand softly down the inside of one of the toned thighs. “You came without my permission.” 

The Pharaoh watched, as Seto’s eyes grew wide realising his mistake.   
  
“You know what that means?”   
  
Kaiba gulped, as he looked down to see the grin on his dom’s face. He knew the Pharaoh was messing with him, but even so, a delicious concoction of nerves and arousal settled in his stomach.

“Yes.”

“It means I have to punish you.” Yami stated anyway. 

As he did so, his hand reached between Seto’s ass cheeks and brushed against something hard and metal, where his rim was. The sub yelled out in shock and lifted his hips off the bed as he felt the plug move inside of him.    
  
Enjoying the response he received, he grabbed the base of the plug and started to move it around, pulling it out slightly and pushing it back in.    
  
“Uh...fuck.” Kaiba stuttered out, as the plug rubbed enticingly against his insides, stretching and teasing his rim. However, some of the lube had dried up, so the actions were becoming more and more uncomfortable. Something that Yami was quick to realise. 

Letting go of the toy, the dom reached next to him to grab the sachet of lube he’d taken from his club. Ripping it open, he emptied the contents onto and around Seto’s entrance. With his fingers, he rubbed it along the surface of the plug that was accessible. Now, when he played with the toy, the lube eased the friction that was experienced earlier. 

As the uncomfortable sensations turned to ones of pleasure again, Kaiba could feel his erection start to grow. Arousal pulsed through his veins and he started to moan at the onslaught.   
  
Pleased with himself, Yami carefully extracted the toy, making Seto groan at the empty feeling. He’d been wearing it since they left the Palermo earlier that night, and he’d grown accustomed to the feeling of fullness that came with it. His hole was now clenching around nothing, and Yami watched, entranced.   
  
The dom felt his own erection throb, as he imagined, how it would feel clenching around him. Of course, he’d had sex before, but this time, it would be different. Yami had wanted Seto from the beginning, near enough. To know that very soon he would be inside Seto, fucking him, made him almost cum on the spot. Taking steadying breaths, he opened some more lube and spread it onto his fingers. He inserted two of them into Seto’s entrance. The sub moaned low as he was filled once more. 

However, it wasn’t enough. 

He needed more. 

Stretching him open using scissoring movements, Yami managed to insert a third finger next to the other two. He silently watched the way Seto’s whole body react to the intrusion.    
  
The brunet’s hair was splayed out on the cushions, and his cheeks were a deep crimson colour. Sweat matted his hair and caused the light to shine across his naked skin. His eyes were clenched shut but Yami knew it was because of pleasure. His luscious lips were opened slightly as delightful sounds escaped them. Be it moans, groans, or tiny gasps. His neck, his gorgeous neck, was arched backwards as he pushed his body down onto Yami’s fingers, relishing in the feeling and unconsciously begging for more.   
  
As Yami’s erection ached in the confines of his clothes, the dom decided that Seto should have more.

Right now.

Removing his fingers from Seto’s entrance, he had to shush the sub, who whimpered at the loss looking around to see where they had gone. 

  
“Just hold on a moment, baby.” he uttered, as he quickly stripped himself of all items of clothing. Kaiba watched entranced from hooded, clouded eyes. He enjoyed seeing his dom strip.

All of a sudden, a moment of clarity brought Kaiba out of his lust-filled state.

_ He was watching Yami strip. _

_ He was going to see Yami naked. _ __   
_   
_ __ They were going to have sex.

_ He was not going to be a virgin anymore. _

Unwillingly, his body tensed up, as he panicked. 

“Yami.” He uttered the only thing he could.

The dom, who had been in the process of taking off his trousers, looked over at him. As he saw the expression on his boyfriends face, all notions of stripping left him. Instead, the need to comfort and protect his sub - his everything - controlled him. Climbing to the top of the bed where Kaiba’s head was laid, he gently embraced and soothed him, asking him what was wrong.

Shaking his head, Kaiba couldn’t bring himself to confess.

If truth be told, he wasn’t sure what happened. Now that Yami was holding him, he felt fine. He was excited to be having sex.

He wanted to have sex!

He just...well he didn’t know.

“Seto, are you ready for this?” Yami murmured into his hair.

“Yes.” Kaiba aggressively answered.

He wanted to have sex with Yami, for fucks sake!!   
  
“Are you sure?”   
  
“Yes.” Shaking his head, Kaiba composed himself. “I’m sorry. I just...I panicked for a second. That’s all. I don’t know why, but I did.” Frustrated, he hid his face into Yami’s exposed chest, grounded by the feeling of the other man’s skin.

“Hey. Shh baby. It’s okay. It makes sense actually.”The dom tried soothing his sub.

“Whaddyamean?” Kaiba mumbled, refusing to move his head.

“What I mean is, you have gone all this time as a virgin. You weren’t interested in it, nor willing to experience it. Now it’s here, it is daunting. The world, society, puts so many expectations out there about what your first time should be like. How it should feel. What will happen. Whether you want it to or not, that stuff remains with you. So yes, it’s understandable to be nervous. But if you really aren’t ready, I can wait.” 

  
Kaiba allowed Yami’s words to sink in.

They made sense to him and, if truth be told, he was right. 

He was worried that it wouldn’t feel good. Or that he would hate it.

But...then again, Yami had always made him feel good in sessions. He made him feel good not too long ago.

Yami would make sure this was good.

It would be good because it was Yami.

Looking up, he stared into his lover’s eyes.

“I want this. So much. But only with you.” The certainty that burned in Seto’s eyes told Yami, that Seto really was ready for this.

“Very well then. Lie back down like you were but lift your knees up to your chest, making sure they’re spread.” Moving back to his previous position, Yami finished getting stripped, while Seto did as he was told. As Yami finally discarded his boxers, Seto felt his mouth go dry.

Smirking, as he caught Seto watching, he climbed between the sub’s lifted legs.

“Like what you see?” He asked cockily.

“Uh huh.” Seto replied, not taking his eyes off of Yami’s rather impressive erection.

It wasn’t as long as Kaiba’s, but it did look thicker, causing the brunet to wonder if it really would fit inside properly. As he thought that, his hole tensed. Something Yami noticed.

“Shh. Relax. Everything will be fine, okay?” Grabbing a condom, he opened it and rolled it onto his heated member, hissing at the touch.

Yami knew he wouldn’t last long. 

Opening some more lube, he liberally covered his erection, ensuring there was plenty to help ease the way. Settling himself between Seto’s legs, he placed his cock next to Seto’s entrance.

“Ready?” he asked.

Forcing himself to calm down and relax, Kaiba nodded.

Yami slowly, carefully, entered Seto.

It felt exquisite, as the tight heat encompassed him, drawing him in further. He loved this moment when he had sex - the moment where they became one. It seemed like the most natural thing in the world.

For Kaiba, it felt uncomfortable, as though it didn’t belong. Yet, at the same time, he felt relief. As if this was the way it was meant to be. It was calming to be filled. He wondered why he’d never done it before. But it had never felt right before, either.

And they both needed more.

Taking his time so as to not hurt Seto, Yami finally buried himself to the hilt. Leaning down to rest his forehead against Seto’s shoulder, he took deep, steadying breaths to control himself. He could feel the tension radiating from Seto underneath him.

They were both so close.

“Are you okay?” Yami muttered into Seto’s skin.

“It’s...good?” Kaiba replied, slightly unsure. He knew he liked the feeling, but the uncomfortable intrusion caused him to doubt it.

“Just let me know when you want me to move, baby.”

“I will.”

After a moment, Seto shifted his hips, and Yami took that as his cue to go.

Ever so carefully, he moved his hips, extracting his erection from where it was nestled comfortably inside of his lover. Before he could remove it fully, he thrusted it back inside ever so slightly, making them both yell out.. Yami repeated the action a few times, getting used to the feeling and sensations.

For the Pharaoh, it wasn’t too weird; he’d had sex before. It was Seto he was being careful about. This was his first time and he had to make it right for him. As the dom looked down at his sub’s face, he saw that it was scrunched up in unreadable emotions. Yami stilled his hips.

“Talk to me, baby. Do you like it?” The exertion of remaining still, while Seto’s hole was clenching around his dick, caused him to pant. The pleasure was intense and he wanted to do nothing more than ram his erection deep inside. Again and again, making Seto scream with delight.

But he couldn’t. Not yet.

Opening his eyes, Seto looked at Yami with a clouded gaze.

“Yeah. I think.” Seto shifted underneath his boyfriend, causing them to groan. “I’m getting used to it. Please continue.”

Nodding, Yami rolled his hips forward, pressing deeper inside. He had to find…

“Shit!” Seto screamed out, eyes rolling back in ecstasy, his toes curling reflexively.

Pride rose within Yami as he pulled out, only to thrust back in, hitting Seto’s prostate again and again.

“You like that, hmm?”

“Yesss. Fuck! Please. More. I need more, please. Shit!” Seto hissed.

Yami obliged, the sound of his lover’s begging increasing the pleasure he was feeling.

The sub was starting to lift his hips up, meeting Yami thrust for thrust, while his cries of excitement grew louder, mixed in with heavy pants. Letting himself go, Yami started to thrust as deep as he could, picking up the pace.

He adjusted his stance, so as to be able to truly do his best work with less strain on his now aching muscles. The pace was becoming erratic, as the two of them chased their climax.

The tight, slippery heat was an intoxicating sensation on Yami’s erection and Seto was repeatedly clenching his hole with each hit of his prostate.

For the sub, it was overwhelming. Yami had done anal play a few times, so the prostate stimulation wasn’t new. But this time, it was a person doing it. He could feel Yami’s erection throbbing inside of him. He could feel the heat radiating from it. Seto clenched his fists into the sheets below him, as the pleasure shot up his spine and his muscles tensed. He could feel his release building in the pit of his stomach.

The sound of heavy, quick breathing, and sweat-soaked skin hitting against sweat-soaked skin filled the room. Only broken up by the oddly animalistic noises and selected curse word. Until…

“I’m close.” Seto moaned.

“Fuck.” Was the only response he received.

As the pressure built in his own stomach, Yami lifted one hand to grasp Seto’s straining, leaking erection.

“Cum for me, baby. Let me see you cum.”

And he did.

“Yami.” Kaiba moaned when he came over the Pharaoh’s hand, shaking. As his muscles relaxed and his body went limp, he felt Yami thrust deep inside of him, his dick pulsing, cursing with a low grunt. It took the sub a moment to realise, that Yami just came.

While inside of him.

It made Kaiba moan again.

Panting heavily,his limbs growing tired, Yami laid down on top of Kaiba.

They stayed like that, as the sweat dried on their skin, and their lungs remembered how to work properly. It was peaceful, and from a certain point of view, it was the best moment of the evening. Unfortunately, like everything, it came to an end.

Groaning from exertion, Yami lifted himself off of Kaiba, his dick easily slipping out, as the muscles contracted around the now flaccid length. The sub whimpered, as the cold air hit him. Smiling at Seto, the dom took off the condom, tied the end and tossed it into the bin that was next to the dresser. He then climbed back onto the bed, embracing his lover. Closing his eyes, he enjoyed the feeling of closeness and the afterglow of a fantastic orgasm.

The peace that filled him from head to toe, and the feeling of floating on a cloud was almost as good as the actual orgasm. Not only that, Yami loved his cuddles. He loved being close to another person, to just bask in the other person’s warmth and comfort.

After sex cuddles really were fantastic.

Not only that, but he knew from the aftercare parts of play sessions, that Seto was very similar. He always craved cuddles, while he drifted out of headspace. It was like a big teddy bear.

Sighing, Yami timed his breathing to match Seto’s, and he could have quite happily fallen asleep. Except, Seto had other plans.

The CEO’s slender fingers lightly stroked across his right side, above his ribs, causing goosebumps to rise.

“What’s this?” He murmured into the silence.

“What’s what?” Yami asked, voice heavy and slurred with exhaustion.

“The tattoo.”

Violet eyes suddenly went wide, as he realised what Kaiba was referring to.

“Oh that. That’s my name in hieroglyphs.” He explained, nonchalantly. Kaiba’s eyes stared in wonder and he brought his head closer to take a better look. A finger traced the symbols, as if he was trying to commit them to memory.

“So this spells Yami?” He asked, excitedly.

Above him, Yami snickered.

“Yeah. Erm, about that. Yami isn’t actually my name.”

Kaiba quickly sat up in bed and stared down at Yami’s face, who was looking at him, amusement dancing in the amethyst pools.

“What do you mean ‘Yami isn’t actually my name’?” He demanded, the sickening feeling of betrayal was starting to take root in the pit of his stomach.

_Did Yami not trust him enough to tell him his real name?_

_Was this just a fling?_

_A one-night stand?_

_Did Yami fuck all his subs and then get rid of them?_

_What about-_

Yami’s explanation broke across Kaiba’s internal panic, it disintegrated every negative thought and made his heart swell.

“My real name is Atem. Yami is a name I chose for myself. It stands for ‘Darkness’ and I prefer it, if truth be told. Everyone calls me Yami, and only a lucky select few even know my real name.”

“Huh.” Was all, Seto could utter, as a lump formed in his throat from the overwhelming emotions. Swallowing, he managed to ask his next question. “So, if you don’t like it that much, why do you have it tattooed?”

“Because,” Yami started. “it’s my name. In the times of ancient Egypt, people believed that a name was something of high value. You couldn’t enter the afterlife without it, and it’s something I appreciate about my culture. Also, it’s who I am and it’s my identity. I do like it, just not as much as Yami. My parents gave me that name and I respect that. I respect myself. By getting the tattoo, I will always be reminded of who I am whenever I look at it. Also, it looks fucking cool.” Laughter escaped the two of them at that last sentence and the sombre, serious tone that had fallen over them was broken. As the giggles died down, Kaiba laid down and curled into Yami once more.

“I’ve often thought of getting a tattoo.” Kaiba stated.

“Hmm?”

“Yeah. I’ve always thought a Blue Eyes White Dragon would be cool.” He confessed, blushing. Yami knelt up on one elbow, so he could look down at Kaiba. “Oh really? And where would you have it?”

Kaiba thought about it for a moment.

“Maybe on my thigh? Or my calf? I dunno.”

“Hmm.” Yami hummed, eyes alight with mischief once more. His hand trailed down to Seto’s hipbone. “Or maybe you could get a cute little one right here.” He pinched the skin above the bone causing Seto to yelp in pain.

“Blue Eyes White Dragon is not cute! He’s a powerful, majestic monster and I will not himmmppff” His defensive rant was cut short, as Yami took the moment to shove his tongue into Setos mouth, kissing him passionately. Forgetting what he was saying, Seto melted into the kiss and brought his hands up to tangle in Yami’s hair, as the Pharaoh rolled onto him. Pulling back slightly, Yami muttered against Kaiba’s lips.

“Did you know, Blue Eyes isn’t the only powerful, majestic beast you love.”

“Oh really? Do tell me more.”

“How about I show you?” Yami punctuated his point with a roll of his hips, grinding down on top of Seto’s. Moaning, Seto agreed.

Before long, the sound of skin hitting against skin, heavy breaths filled with quiet promises as well as moans of pleasure and passion filled the room again, as the sun rose outside, signaling the start of a new dawn.

\-----------------------

Blinking, Kaiba regretfully opened his eyes. His whole body ached and felt lethargic, as if he’d ran a marathon in the night. However, he had had one of the best sleeps he could remember. He also had one of the best dreams involving him and Yami and lots of sex.

Stretching, Kaiba felt his hand hit something solid. Looking over to his right, he saw a tri-coloured mess of hair emerging from a cocoon of blankets and resting on his pillow.

Yami.

The events of last night rushed back to Kaiba.

_So the dream was real._

Relief and excitement flooded his entire being as he remembered.

However, fear and anxiety quickly drowned them out.

_What if Yami would regret it?_

_What if Yami didn’t want anything to do with him anymore?_

Kaiba could feel the familiar grip of terror clench around his heart. He started to struggle for breath, as his lungs felt like they were closing up on him.

Next to him, Yami was stirring. He’d felt something move stir twice beside him and hit him in the shoulder. As memories came back to him, Yami beamed and found he was suddenly wide awake.

He was in Seto’s bed!

Turning over, intending to kiss him, the smile slipped off of his face.

Concern blanketed him instead, as he saw the state Seto was in.

If Yami knew better - which he did - he would guess that Seto was currently in the throes of a panic attack.

Springing into action, Yami coaxed Seto into a sitting position, forcing him to make eye contact with him. Rubbing his back soothingly, the dom started to speak reassuringly to the panicking man.

“Shhh, baby. I’ve got you baby boy, okay. Now breath with me. Come on, Seto, follow me. Breathe in. Hold it, now breathe out. And again. In and out. In...Out. Good boy. Keep doing that. In and out. Keep watching me, okay Seto? I’ve got you. In...Out. You’re doing very well, dear. In...out. Good boy. Is that better?”

Seto felt the fear slowly subside, as Yami calmed him down. The touches grounded him and the breathing exercises helped him regain control of his body. Yet, he still couldn’t shake the feeling that Yami would leave him.

“Good boy.” The Pharaoh cooed again, placing a soft kiss to the crown of his head. Or tried to.

Instinctively, Kaiba flinched away from it.

Confused and hurt, Yami pulled back to observe his sub some more.

“Seto, what’s wrong?” he inquired, unable to keep the hurt from his voice. Seto just shook his head.

He didn’t want to talk.

He didn’t want his fears confirmed.

“Seto.” This time when Yami spoke his name, it was more authoritative. Seto was now dealing with his dom and not his lover of one night. “Answer me now - what’s going on?”

Feeling tears well in his eyes, Seto looked down at his fidgeting hands, as he thought of what to say.

“I just...well.” Taking a deep breath, he just blurted his fears out. “I’m scared you’re going to leave.”

Yami felt a lump settle in his throat at Seto’s confession, seeing how vulnerable and hurt he looked.

_Did he really think so lowly of him? That he would fuck him and just leave him?_

_Although_ , Yami’s rational side butted in, _he had no experience in this area to back him up, yet a whole lifetime of abandonment to draw on._

Pushing aside his own hurt feelings, Yami bundled Seto into his arms, something the sub was only too willing to comply with. Finally giving that kiss to the crown of Seto’s head, Yami explained everything into his hair.

“I will not leave you. Not again. You are my sweet boy and I will do anything for you. I would give you the world if you didn’t already plan on taking it for yourself. I plan on staying by your side until we’re old, wrinkly, and grey. Do you understand me, Seto Kaiba. You might be mine, but my heart belongs to you. I love you so much, my wonderful baby boy.”

Letting the tears and emotions leave him, Seto curled even further into Yami’s embrace, allowing the words to process in his mind.

Yami wouldn’t leave him.

Yami loved him.

Sitting back up, he looked deep into the eyes that had captivated him from the first time he saw them.

“I love you too.” Was all he could say. The sincerity and blunt honesty of the words were enough for Yami. Bringing his hand up to cradle the back of Seto’s head, he brought their lips together in a tender kiss. There was no heated, hungry passion. There was only love and unspoken promises.

As the kiss continued, Yami started playing with Seto’s hair. He lovingly stroked it, tugging slightly, causing Seto to groan. Feeling bold, the sub brought his own hand up to mess with Yami’s hair. His movements were shy and unsure of himself, reflecting his inexperience in these matters.

Not once did they stop their kiss. Their lips melting together and their tongues exploring each other’s mouths, experimentally.

Yami brought his hand down the length of Seto’s neck, the touch light as a feather and teasing. Seto shivered, arching into it. He loved the teasing touches. Yami’s fingers found one of his nipples, and he tweaked it, enjoying Seto’s yelp of surprise. He took that moment to deepen the kiss.

They continued for a moment, Yami switching to the other nipple, until Seto was craving more.

Rolling Seto over onto his back without breaking apart, Yami reached a hand down to find Seto’s morning erection. Giving it a few gentle tugs, he moved his hand even lower, tracing Seto’s rim. He felt the body beneath him shiver and he swallowed the moan that was released.

Giving one last peck to Seto’s lips, Yami quickly left the bed to retrieve another condom and some lube. Climbing back up, he knelt beside Seto and resumed the kissing while he lovingly prepared his entrance again, mindful that it’s tender from their vigorous activities last night.

When Seto was restless and begging for more, Yami removed his fingers and got into position, lifting Seto’s legs up to settle on his knees. Without breaking eye contact, Yami slid into him, both of their faces morphing into expressions of pleasure. In the space of one night, the brunet had gotten used to the feeling of Yami filling him. However, this time felt different. The atmosphere was just one of unadulterated love. They weren’t fucking…

.... They were making love.

Overwhelmed with emotions, Seto shut his eyes and reached for one of the Pharaoh’s hands. Getting the hint, Yami clasped it within his own and started to grind into Seto. He took it slow and steady, making every thrust, every roll of his hip count. Leaning down, he started to leave little bite marks across his sub’s neck, muttering sweet nothings between each one.

Soon, they both came, cursing into the silence of the room.

They eventually fell back to sleep, curled into one another and content in the knowledge that they loved one another.

\-------------------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now it's time for the interval. ;)
> 
> This chapter has had to be split into two parts because of how long it is. Hopefully we can wrestle the next half into shape for Friday.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who gives kudos and their love and support.
> 
> Special thank you to Taedae, Crimson, Coky, and DiamondEye for their continued words of encouragement after everything we post. They mean the world to us and we always look forward to seeing what you say next!
> 
> Also, thank you to everyone else who has ever left a comment and a kind word.
> 
> And one big shout out to everyone over on discord! You guys brighten our day!!
> 
> Love to you all!  
> <3


	14. Tell me how did you find Your way into this heart of mine How do ya change my hearts design?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> We're back with a new update!
> 
> This time we have chapter 13 part 2! xD
> 
> We hope you enjoy!
> 
> ****Trigger warning****  
> There is a very brief implication of past child abuse. If you would like to skip this part, then watch out for ----TW----. It is there at the start of the scene and the ending of the scene.

Yawning, Yami opened his eyes, feeling pleasantly content and warm. Looking beside him, his heart stopped for a moment, as he saw Seto sleeping peacefully beside him. He looked angelic and _oh so beautiful_. Trying not to wake him, Yami extracted himself from where their limbs were tangled. Pulling on his pants from last night, he quietly exited the room and went downstairs to the kitchen; his mouth was dry and his stomach was making itself known.

Finding the correct room in the maze that the Kaiba’s called their home, Yami was amazed at how large the kitchen was. It was high tech and modern, with glistening marble sides and a huge island in the middle. Locating the coffee machine, Yami wandered over to it, hoping it was simple enough to figure out how to use. Next to it, there was a folded over piece of paper, that had his and Seto’s name written on it in scrawly writing. Intrigued, he opened it to see, that it was from Mokuba.

_Seto, I rang Aimee this morning not long after you went upstairs, explaining you wouldn’t be coming into work today. Or tomorrow. She will reschedule your meetings and I’ll take over some that aren’t necessary for you to attend. So don’t worry about work._

_Yami, well done on fucking my brother. He sounds like he’s thoroughly enjoying himself, and has been for TWO FUCKING HOURS!!_

_I’m so happy for you both._

_Love,_

_Mokuba_

Laughing at the note, Yami placed it back on the side and fiddled with the machine, silently congratulating Mokuba on knowing where they’d definitely see the note. After a couple of minutes and successfully pressing all of the buttons like a child, Yami managed to work out the coffee machine. While it went to work roasting the beans, the Pharaoh strode over to the enormous fridge in the corner of the room and looked inside. 

He took out the orange juice and located a glass in one of the many cupboards spanning the length of the kitchen, pouring himself a drink. Yami quickly chugged it down, enjoying the refreshing, cold taste as it travelled down his throat. He had to admit that it was the nicest thing he’d swallowed that morning.

Rinsing the glass out, the coffee machine bleeped. Slightly confused, he walked back over to it and noticed, that it was ready. Grabbing two mugs, Yami filled them up. He placed the steaming cups onto a tray, picked a selection of fruit from the bowl and walked back upstairs, wondering if Seto would be awake yet.

He wasn’t.

As Yami entered the bedroom, he noticed Seto hadn’t even moved since he’d left. Quiet as a mouse, he placed the tray onto a coffee table on the other side of the bedroom, where a couch was located. Before he sat down, he grabbed his jacket and reached inside a pocket for his phone, praying that it still had charge.

47% battery life remaining.

Yami silently thanked the gods for their blessing and went to sit on the luxurious sofa. Mindlessly picking a few grapes off of the stem, he scrolled through his notifications. With a start, he realised he had work to attend to.

It was almost 1pm in the afternoon and he had failed to message any of his clients. Mortified, he quickly fired off a few texts and went through all of the reports they’d sent. Once that was done, he checked his personal contacts. There were a few missed calls and texts from Yugi and Mai.

23/3 07:04

Mai: soooo....did someone go home with a certain tall, brunet last night? ;)

23/3 07:28

Yugi: he didn’t even come home.

23/3 07:29

Mai: really? Do tell me, my dear Pharaoh, what’s the Kaiba mansion like?

23/03 07:30

Mai: or have you not had chance to look through any room other than the bedroom? ;)

23/03 07:41

Yugi: Maiiiii!! That’s my brother!!

23/03 07:45

Mai: bitch! You guys have no secrets with each other! Don’t be prudish now. I want all the deets..

23/03 07:46

Yugi: Fuck off. I think he’s sleeping anyway.

23/03 07:48

Mai: or fucking. Probably fucking.

23/03 07:48

Mai: It doesn’t matter; he can tell us everything when he’s done doing whatever - or whoever. xD

23/03 07:49

Yugi: *rolls eyes*

Sighing as he read through all the messages and knowing he was unable to remove himself from the Harpie’s claws, he composed a general text that should hopefully satisfy her for now.

23/03 08:56

Yami: You were both right. The Kaiba mansion is great. The kitchen makes me horny. Take care of the studio for me today. I’m going to be very busy. ;)

As the dom bit into an apple, Seto started stirring. The smell of coffee wafted over to him and he hummed, sitting up. With blurry eyes, he looked over to see Yami on his phone, a tray of coffee and fresh fruit in front of him.

“Who you talking to?” Seto inquired, alerting Yami to the fact he was now awake. Smiling at him, Yami told him.

A faint stirring of jealousy twisted Seto’s insides, as he realised that his dom had other clients to attend to. Trying to control himself, knowing that it was Yami’s job, he gave a grunt to acknowledge he’d heard him. He didn’t trust himself to speak. Although over the course of their time together, Yami had grown accustomed to what Seto was not saying. He understood his sub too well.

Picking up the second mug of coffee, Yami got to his feet and walked over to the bed.

He placed the mug on the bedside table.

“You,” He leaned down to place a peck on the forehead. “Are,” A kiss on the cheek. “My only.” a kiss on the other cheek. “Priority today.” This time, he kissed Seto’s lips, removing the pout that was sitting there.

Embarrassed to have been caught out, Seto took a moment to accept the gesture. Kissing Yami was too addictive to remain irrationally upset anyway.

Sooner than he would have liked, the kiss ended and Seto stared at Yami.

“Thank you.” he muttered.

“It’s nothing baby. I want to spend today with you. But I have to tell you now, I’m not giving my job up. You can accept that, can’t you?”

“I wouldn’t expect you to. It’s just, after everything we’ve done today, I just...I dunno.” Kaiba faltered off.

“I know.” Yami always knew.

Grinning from ear to ear at his dom, Kaiba felt ecstatic.

How did he get so lucky?

“Now, I brought breakfast. Come and sit with me?” the Pharaoh indicated the couch.

“Okay. I need the toilet first though.” Kaiba announced, feeling pressure on his bladder. Shifting to move off of the bed, he felt an ache in every muscles of his body. More noticeable was the ache radiating from his ass. Groaning in pain, he stayed where he was, trying to adjust to it.

Understanding what was happening, Yami tried not to giggle at the situation.

“Are you okay?” he inquired.

“Spectacular.” Seto spat back sarcastically. Slowly, he pushed himself off the bed, his muscles screaming at him in the process.

Who knew sex could cause this? He thought bitterly. Not that he’d take it back - it was too good.

Taking small, precise steps, Kaiba made it over to his en-suite door and shut it behind him.

While Kaiba was on the toilet, Yami released a small chuckle.

He must have been rougher than he’d thought. Although, they did do it a few times so there was that. And they played at the club.

He decided he would run Seto a bath after he was done on the toilet.

When Seto came back out, Yami told him to sit, eat and drink, while he went and set off the bath. Seto happily obliged.

Placing the plug in the drain hole, Yami set off the water and looked around the room for some bath products. Seeing the cabinet beside the door, he decided to look in there. He found soap, shampoo, conditioner, shaving products, and mouthwash.

No bath salts, or bubble bath.

Eyebrows creasing together he went back into the bedroom.

“Seto.” he announced. “What do you use in the bath?”

Swallowing the grape he was eating, Kaiba asked what he meant.

“I mean, do you mix anything into the bath. Salts? Bubble bath? Only, I can’t find any.”

“No. I just use soap and water. Why would I need anything else?”

Yami’s eyes went wide.

“Only because they are the nicest things in the world! Do you not know how to pamper yourself? You’re lucky you have me.”

Sighing, knowing that this bath wasn’t going to be as spectacular as he thought, Yami turned back to the bathroom. “I’ll put some on the shopping list. You will experience a great bath before this week is out.” He left Kaiba gawking behind him.

When the boring, not-special bath was done, Yami came to fetch Kaiba and helped him climb into it. The CEO sighed, as the hot water licked at his sore muscles, feeling himself relax immediately. He sank into the depths until his head was resting above the water, on the side. Yami just smiled.

He loved seeing his sub so relaxed.

“Good?”

The only answer he got was a content hum.

“It would be better with some salts but you know...you don’t have any.”

“I’m sure.” Kaiba smirked, finding it funny how his lack of bath products seemed to be affecting the smaller man.

Allowing Kaiba to soak for a while, Yami left to clean up the breakfast dishes. He took them downstairs and disposed of any trash and cleaned the dishes. Once he was done, he wandered back upstairs to find Kaiba peacefully enjoying the calmness that only a warm bath could bring. Grabbing the soap and a washcloth, Yami handed them to Kaiba.

“Come on. You’ll be a prune if you stay here any longer.”

“But I’m comfy here.” Kaiba complained.

Chuckling at the childish complaint, Yami poked his shoulder.

“You won’t be when it goes cold. Come on.”

Grumbling, Kaiba consented and started to wash himself. Yami laid out a towel for him and went to change the bedsheets. At least, he tried to.

“Seto.” he shouted through the doorway.

“Yeah?”

“Where are the clean sheets for your bed?”

Thinking for a moment, Kaiba told him to check the closet drawer.

“Closet drawer?” Yami muttered to himself. “Which one?”

There seemed to be a thousand drawers. Eventually he came across the right one.

“Got it.” he shouted.

“Okay.” came the reply.

Yami had just finished changing the sheets when Kaiba came out, towel draped around his waist. The Pharaoh took a moment to take in the sight: water dripping down the pale, toned torso. He followed them down, disappointed when they ended up disappearing from sight because of the towel. Looking back up, he noticed Kaiba had been watching him. A blush sat delicately on the sharp cheekbones. Feeling himself blush slightly as well, Yami cleared his throat.

“Bed’s all changed.” he announced.

“Thank you. You didn’t have to, though.” Kaiba said, feeling uncomfortable at the thought of his dom doing such meager tasks.

“I know, but I wanted to.” Yami shrugged. Kaiba just smiled at him, feeling grateful.

Drying himself off, Kaiba debated whether or not he should put any clothes on. He decided a pair of boxers wouldn’t hurt. He went to sit on the couch, but Yami blocked his way.

“On the bed.”

Kaiba obliged, his exhausted limbs sinking into the expensive mattress.

“On your stomach.”

Kaiba rolled over, confused but knowing he’d find out what Yami had planned soon enough.

Yami climbed on top of him, straddling the small of his back. He placed his hands on top of Kaiba’s shoulders and started to knead them. Seto groaned at the feeling, realising Yami was going to give him a massage. He allowed himself to melt into the touch, and he eventually drifted off with the feeling of Yami’s hands softly caressing him, and the scent of fresh linen surrounding him.

It was a good way to go to sleep.

Feeling Seto relax and hearing his breathing even out, Yami realised that he’d fallen asleep under him. Softly smiling to himself, his heart fit to burst with love and affection, the dom kept up his ministrations, slowly easing the pressure and slowing down the movements until he came to a stop. Carefully climbing off of his sub, Yami pulled the clean blanket over Seto’s body. He placed a tiny kiss to the top of his head, inhaling the fresh scent of his hair. Moving away from the bed, Yami decided now was the best time to have a good snoop around, intrigued to see what he could learn about Seto from his bedroom.

It turned out there wasn’t a lot.

Disappointed to find there was very little that reflected his boyfriend’s true self, he grabbed a book that he found inside his desk drawer - _How to Give an Emotive Speech in Business_ \- and settled down on the couch where he’d eaten breakfast not too long ago.Yami soon found himself drifting off to sleep, also exhausted by their activities.

\------------------------

“Mmm. Gettoff.” Yami mumbled, sleepily pushing away whatever it was that was currently tickling his ear. When he felt hot breath against it, he opened his eyes, turning his head to find Seto next to him, an amused grin on his face and his own eyes twinkling with mischief.

“If you say so, your Majesty.” Seto’s voice was filled with mirth as he pulled away, knowing fine well that he was pushing the Pharaoh’s buttons but wanting to see where the new boundaries were set.

His mind still foggy with the last remnants of sleep, Yami decided he didn’t want Seto to leave him completely. As the sub started to walk away from the sofa, the dom spoke up.

“Wait.” Closing his eyes, all Yami did was point to the floor by his feet. “Subs kneel.”

Yami repressed a smirk as he heard Seto approach him and felt him brush against his legs, as he knelt beside him. Placing a hand on the back of his head, the Pharaoh encouraged Seto to lean his head on his thigh, starting to comb the strands of hair that he could easily reach. They both sighed.

It was easily one of their favourite positions.

Seto’s, because he felt safe and loved. Like he belonged.

Yami’s, because the movement was calming and he felt like he was needed.

Basking in the comfort of the other’s company, they stayed like that for a while. They didn’t need to speak or move or do anything. They just had to be.

However, given their morning’s activities, and their new found relationship, the sheer intimacy of their closeness was causing Yami’s penis to behave unexpectedly.

And Seto was loving it.

Inching his head closer, as if he were just trying to get comfortable, he was now positioned directly next to the clearly visible outline of Yami’s erection. Seto brought his hand up to rest high on his dom’s thigh, very close to his dick. Pretending that it was a purely innocent movement, he started to mindlessly trace patterns where his fingers were resting. Meanwhile, Yami was pretending not to notice what Seto was deliberately doing.

In fact, he wanted to see how far his sub might push it. Adopting the mantra of ‘Two can play this game’, Yami innocently shuffled around on the sofa so that his hips were closer to the edge of the couch, and his legs were spread further open. Seto was always able to notice a challenge when it was presented to him, and he gladly accepted it.

Moving his fingers upwards, he started to tease Yami just below the outline of his erection. Back and forward his fingertips lightly moved. Left and right. Circles and spirals. On and on it went, but never did Seto make a move to touch him where he needed it. The dom could assume that it was his sub teasing him, however, he had a feeling that Seto was just waiting for permission. The CEO was usually well-behaved and knew better than to tease for this long.

“What do you want, baby?” he inquired, looking down to see cerulean eyes peek up at him. Immediately, Seto blushed and averted his gaze, the teasing of his fingers halting their movements. It was adorable.

“Tell me, or you won’t get it. You know how this works, my beautiful boy.”

\---------------TW---------------

“I know. I just...I’m not sure I’m ready yet.” Looking up, he caught Yami’s eyes. “At the same time, I really want to try. Except...well, there’s also the matter of...him. My past.” he whispered the last bit so quietly that Yami almost didn’t hear him. He did, however, and his heart twisted painfully at the pain that flickered on Seto’s face. He was briefly reminded of the voicemails that had been left for him not too long ago. Shaking his head, Yami inhaled deeply, before letting the breath out.

“Seto, my gorgeous, brave baby. I am not him. I will not force you to do anything you’re not ready for. And when you feel that you are ready, then I will be there to guide you through any difficulties. You are my darling boy. I promised to protect you, to teach you, and to guide you. I will always do that, unless you decide you no longer want me there. You have my heart, Seto. From now, until the day we part. I am your future, and he is your past. He does not belong with us. Let me help you to cast him aside and leave him where he belongs. I love you, my sweet dear.”

Tears came unbidden to both of their eyes and Seto cuddled in to Yami’s legs. Gently, the dom encouraged his lover to join him on the sofa, where he held him and soothed him until the sobs died down. By that point, Yami’s erection had completely vanished. Not that he cared; Seto’s well being was the only thing that was important to him. In the stillness of the room, a hoarse voice piped up.

\-----------TW----------

“I want to try.”

Yami leaned to the side in order to look at Seto’s tear stained face. His eyes were puffy and his cheeks red. But there was love and a desperate need to please there.

“Only if you want to. I can wait, baby.”

“No. I want to. I want to make you feel good. I don’t fear it, at least...not when I’m with you. Please let me try.” his eyes begged Yami to understand and believe him.

“Okay, dear. If you want to.”

Seto leaned in to kiss the Pharaoh. It was sloppy and not the best kiss in the world but it expressed all of his emotions: gratitude, relief, and love. For that reason alone, it was one of the best kisses Yami had ever experienced.

Taking charge, Yami deepened it. His tongue licked across Seto’s bottom lip, causing him to moan in delight. He chuckled fondly at the sound, always amused by his sub’s sensitivity. Pulling back, Yami leaned in to whisper in Seto’s ear.

“Why don’t you show me what you can do with that pretty mouth of yours then?”  
  
Groaning, Seto nodded.

He got to his knees and Yami spread his legs to make room for him. Threading his fingers through the brunet’s lustrous locks, Yami told Seto to look at him.

“We use our usual signals here, okay baby boy? Don’t push yourself further than you want to. My pleasure comes from your happiness, sweet boy. Understand?”

“Yes, Pharaoh.” Seto muttered back, feeling like he was suddenly back at the studio in Yami’s tomb. It was a comforting thought.

“Good boy.” Leaning back into the sofa, Yami waited for Seto to begin.

Trying to quench the nerves rising inside of him, the CEO brought his hands up to stroke Yami’s thighs, like the dom always did to him. After all, this shouldn’t be so hard. Yami had done it to him last night. Well, this morning as it so happened. Whenever it was, Seto can draw on that experience. If he could just remember how Yami did it, then he’d easily be able to replicate it. This would be easy.

Bringing his hands up, he hooked his fingers over the waistband of Yami’s pants, and pulled them down, delighting in the way his lover’s semi-hard dick popped out of them, as it was released.

It seemed a lot bigger than he remembered, however. There was no way it could fit in his mouth! Although, if it was able to fit inside his ass then it should easily go in his mouth, shouldn't it?

Feeling a surge of confidence, Seto continued.

He pulled the boxers off of Yami’s legs and threw them carelessly to the side before turning his attention back to the dick in front of him. It was steadily growing bigger and harder the longer Seto stared at it, and the sub’s mouth started to salivate, as lust clouded his eyes. He wanted it in his mouth so much.

Leaning forwards, Seto gripped the base of Yami’s cock and licked the length of the shaft. The worry that he’d hate the taste of dick vanished, as he realised he could tolerate it, and gave way to more enthusiasm inside of him.

He could do this.

Looking up at Yami, Seto shivered, as crimson hooded eyes met his gaze. Urged on by the sheer lust he saw in his dom’s face, Seto leaned forward again and licked once more. Remembering what Yami did to him, he tried to mimic the movements. He twirled his tongue around the tip and jabbed it inside the slit forcefully, causing Yami to cry out.

“Careful. Not too hard.” Yami muttered.

Confused and a bit taken aback, Seto looked up again.

“But you did this to me?” he asked, questioningly.

“I know, baby. But not everyone likes the same thing, remember? And you still have to work me up a bit more. You are doing such a good job though. I love the licks on my shaft you were doing, baby boy.”

Slightly dismayed Seto returned to work, Yami’s words playing on a loop inside his head.

Not everyone likes the same thing...work me up...good job...love the licks...not everyone likes the same thing.

Slowing down his movements, Seto decided to take things slower. He pumped his hand up and down Yami’s dick, enjoying the way it grew harder at his touch.

What else could he do?

Inspiration hit him and his eyes lit up with joy.

Lowering his head even further, Seto stuck his tongue out and gave small kitten licks to the base of Yami’s shaft. The dom moaned above him. It was the best encouragement Seto could have asked for.

Slowly, he got into a rhythm. He switched between tiny flicks of his tongue, and long, broad swipes over his shaft and the head of his dick. Throughout all of it, Seto kept his hand pumping and fondling Yami’s balls.

He was really enjoying it.

And so was Yami, if the sounds he were making were any indication.

Spurred on by his own enthusiasm, Seto decided it was time to take things further. Looking up to stare at Yami’s face, he gripped the base of the erection and opened his mouth wide, sucking in the tip.

“Fuck.” Yami groaned. As Seto hollowed his cheeks and sucked, Yami threw his head back, resisting the urge to thrust upwards. “Yes, baby boy. That’s so good. You’re doing so well, dear.”

Over the moon with such positive feedback, Seto pulled his mouth off of the cock so he could take a deep breath. With startling confidence, he decided that he could go further. After all, it really wasn’t as bad as it seemed. Why people worried so much about taking dick in their mouth, he’d never know. How hard could deepthroating even be?

Difficult. Very difficult, Seto concluded a few seconds later as he gagged on the length of Yami’s dick. Pulling off, he sputtered and spat, trying to catch his breath.

Resisting the urge to burst into fits of laughter, Yami managed to ask if he was okay.

“‘M fine.” Seto muttered, his voice hoarse and his face blushing bright red in embarrassment.

He didn’t expect it to go that way.

“Here’s a tip baby: you don’t go straight to deepthroating on your first time. We have to train you up to do that.” Yami chortled, inspiration striking him.

He could very easily train his sub.

It would be fun…

All Seto did was grunt in response.

He thought he was doing so well!

“Aww, baby. I’m sorry for laughing, but it really was funny. Don’t let that put you off though; everyone does the same thing their first time around! And you were doing well. You just have to take your time. Vary things up. Use a bit more spit. It just takes practice, baby. Before you know it, you’ll be my little cock-sucking slut.”

Seto felt as though he’d dived into a warm pool of water at Yami’s last words. He trembled from head to foot, his own erection throbbed in his boxers and a whimper escaped his throat. His dom always knew, what words to choose - what names to call him. Wanting to please the Pharaoh more, needing to become everything his Majesty wished him to become, Seto decided to finish what he started.

Being mindful of what Yami had said to him, the sub leaned in once again and tongued the underside of the head before sucking it into his mouth. Instead of just sucking, he used his tongue and swirled it around the glands, allowing the spit to gather and leak out of the corners of his mouth. He pulled back and licked down the shaft, sucking the sensitive skin.

“Good boy.” Yami praised. “Don’t forget my balls.”

Immediately, Seto lowered his head further and pulled one testicle into his open mouth.

“Ahhh! Seto, teeth!” Yami cried out.

Shocked at the fact that he’d hurt his dom, Seto let go.

“I’m sorry! Are you okay, your Majesty?” The sub exclaimed, worried.

Fondly smiling at his lover, Yami quickly silenced his doubts.

“Yes dear, I’m fine. You just have to be a bit more careful. That’s all.”

Nodding, Seto continued.

He sucked, and he licked.

He stroked and he fondled.

He was careful of his teeth.

He was careful of not going too far.

It was sloppy and lacked any sort of finesse. For the Pharaoh, it was by far one of the worst blowjobs he had ever received. At least, if he was judging based on talent alone. But what Seto lacked in experience, he more than made up for in enthusiasm and the sheer will to please. He’d listened to Yami’s advice and he had already improved considerably since he started. There was potential. And it was still an eager mouth pleasuring his dick.

Eventually, Yami couldn’t hold back any longer. He grabbed hold of Seto’s hair and pulled him off, crying out as he did so.

“Baby, I’m go-going to...fuck!” he groaned as he covered Seto’s face in white streaks of cum. The brunet closed his eyes just in time as the viscous, warm seed hit his forehead and leaked down the rest of his face. Opening his eyes, the sub looked at his dom, continuing to carefully pump the softening dick as he did so.

Unable to help himself, he broke out into a large grin at seeing the content, lame form of Yami sprawled out on the couch above him. His hair was a mess and a flush ran from his ears, across his cheeks, and down his neck to his chest. Sweat beaded on his forehead. Most importantly, a kind, mellow smile lifted the corners of his plump lips.

Mission successful.

Letting go of Yami’s dick, Seto climbed up onto the sofa and started peppering tender kisses across the expanse of his lover’s chest and neck. As he did, cum smeared onto Yami’s skin, causing the shorter man to groan and face the brunet.

“You’re getting cum on me.” he mumbled out.

“I noticed.” Seto replied cheekily.

“Why haven’t you cleaned it up yet?”

“Because I can’t be bothered going for a wash cloth just yet.” he admitted.

“You don’t need a cloth to clean up cum, my dear. Haven’t I taught you that already?” Yami smirked slightly as Seto halted his movements and whined lowly.

“Yes, Pharaoh.” he muttered, beginning to lick the semen off of Yami’s torso.

After they were all cleaned up of cum, they cuddled on the couch.

“You still need taken care of, my love.” Yami muttered, reaching for Seto.

“I’m fine.”

Confused, Yami looked at the mess of brown hair leaning onto his shoulder.

“You are?” he inquired.

“I am.” Seto looked into Yami’s eyes. “This was for you, your Majesty. After all, you gave me plenty of orgasms in the past 24 hours. I can live without one.”

Overwhelmed by Seto’s devotion and blunt honesty, Yami kissed the crown of the CEO’s head and settled into comfortable silence again.

It was the sound of the sub’s stomach that made them realise they had barely eaten anything that day. Dragging Seto to his feet, they both got dressed into some loungewear, Yami having to make do with a set of Mokuba’s since Seto’s were far too long for him, and went downstairs together. They decided to make a grilled chicken salad for lunch. Seto worked on preparing the vegetables, while Yami focused on the chicken. Laughter and general chit chat filled the kitchen, as they worked. Once it was done and they’d eaten, they moved into the living room and curled up on the couch together, deciding on what to watch.

This was how Mokuba found them, four hours later when he came home from work.

“I see you finished fucking.” was his greeting, after placing his bag down and entering the communal space.

“We’re not done. We’re just taking an interval.” Yami responded, turning his head to speak to Mokuba. Seto just groaned, still embarrassed at the thought of his little brother knowing what they were getting up to.

“Ah, I see.” was all the younger Kaiba replied with, giggling lightly. He flopped into the armchair to the left of the couch and fixed his eyes on the television.

“What are you watching?” he inquired.

“Random shit.” Seto replied, emerging from his hiding spot next to Yami’s side. “How was work?”

Mokuba groaned, clearly exhausted.

“Tedious. Most of it was just dealing with customer complaints and legal stuff. You know, finalising contracts, dealing with nitpickers. That sort of thing.”

Seto grimaced at the thought. He hated those days.

“Thank you. For taking over today.” he muttered. Mokuba eyed him. What he saw was genuine sincerity in his brother’s face, something he wasn’t used to seeing when Seto spoke those two words.

“It was nothing.” the younger Kaiba replied back. 

Quickly deciding to change the mood of the room, Mokuba asked the most important question:

“What’s for dinner?”

The evening passed in a blur of pizza, enjoyable conversation, and good company. Before they knew it, they were all yawning. It was Yami who propositioned an early night for the three of them. Mumbling in agreement, the Kaiba brothers said night to each other, with Mokuba also bidding a good night to Yami. They each climbed the stairs and went their separate ways, with one brother turning left, and the other turning right, following his lover to the master bedroom.

\--------------------------------

Minutes spent together quickly gave way to hours spent together. Those hours turned into days, and before they knew it, those days had turned into weeks.

The two of them settled quite easily into a routine.

Each morning they would wake up next to each other and, ignoring any morning breath, they would languidly kiss.

Depending on their mood, they might even have a nice round of morning sex. Given the new step in their relationship, their moods usually allowed for this. Once they were done, they would wash off in the shower together because “It’s important to not waste water, Seto!”.

As the CEO left for work, Yami would give him a gentle kiss goodbye and see him out of the door, before he dragged himself back upstairs and into bed. Before he went back to sleep, the Pharaoh would read Seto’s report and praise his outfit choice. Both of which the sub still send as soon as he got in the car.

Yami had told him, that he could write his report down on a piece of paper and leave it on his desk if he so wished, but regarding the outfit, Yami had told him he didn’t have to do that everyday now that Yami physically watched him get dressed. However, Seto had responded with a mumble of words. Eventually, the dom was able to decipher what he had said.

“I know, but it’s a habit, your Majesty. And what if...what if this - this thing...fails? And we just go back to being Dom and Sub? You’ll not want any blank spaces to fill in later on down the road.”

Yami had fondly kissed Seto’s insecurities away and praised his business like approach. He reassured him, that he had no plans to go anywhere except to work and back to his flat for spare clothes, so his lover didn’t have to worry. Of course, given that it was Seto, who was doing the reporting, Yami informed him that he didn’t care how he did his tasks, so long as he did them.

When Yami rose at a reasonable time of day, he grabbed some breakfast and chilled out checking in with his other clients, preparing for the day ahead.

Most of the time, he had to go into work. However, his usual business hours were more late afternoon/evening appointments. Sometimes he had to be there for inventory checks and deliveries, or to help out with one of the other doms clients, or to help Anzu. Sometimes equipment broke and sometimes there were meetings. When he had time to spare, he found himself being driven to Kaiba Corp., where he would surprise Seto with his presence.

It was always fun.

This was where Yami found himself now.

Aime had invited him up once the front desk had informed her that he was here. She had quickly uncovered the truth of their relationship, but there was nothing to fear from her. She was trustworthy and they both knew Aime wouldn’t run off blabbing to the paparazzi. After all, only a stupid person would be so foolish as to cross one of the most powerful men in Japan. And Aime was far from stupid. In fact, Seto even looked at her as a friend. Yami, meanwhile, had quickly bonded with her from their first meeting.

_He’d complimented the nail art she had been sporting that day. It was a beautiful array of blues and greens and yellows. On their own individual nail, they just looked like a random dotting of colours, but together they made up a meadow scenery. Yami loved the artistry behind it all and had asked where she had gotten them done, thinking he could use something like that in the studio’s next event. Or even just to brighten up his day! She had informed him that her sister did them and that she could pass on the message. Yami had thanked her and conversation evolved to discussing Yami’s hair and Aime’s outfit. Seto had long since disappeared to another meeting._

“Good morning, Aime.” Yami greeted her cheerfully as he stepped out of the elevator.

“Yami! You brighten my day just by looking at your hair.” she replied back, walking around her desk to hug him. Aime loved to embrace Yami, purely because he was of a similar height to her. In fact, they’d even taken off their shoes before to see who was really taller.

Yami was by half an inch!

“Shit day?” he inquired.

“Files. Files. And more files.” she complained, pointing at her desk where there was a considerable stack of brown folders waiting for her attention. “How about you? Any busy plans?”

“Not really. It’s a quiet day today, thankfully.” Yami announced, feeling slightly guilty given Aime’s heavy workload.

“Haha. Well, you deserve it.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because you deal with Seto Kaiba almost all day. Speaking as someone else who does, that’s some tough shit!” Aime’s eyes twinkled with humour and her mouth was lifted into a wonderful smile. Yami couldn’t help but giggle with her.

“True. We deserve medals!”

“That we do!”

“Where is he, anyway?” he inquired, failing to spot the CEO.

“He’s still in a meeting. It should have finished half an hour ago but they’re running late. There’s no ETA on when they might finish yet.” Aime frowned.

“Ah. Okay.” Yami nodded. He started walking towards the glass door leading into Seto’s private section. “Well, I won’t keep you much longer. After all, I know how much you love filing. I’ll just wait in here for him.”

“Why thank you, my dear Yami. What a wonderful gift you have bestowed upon me. However should I repay you?”

“By taking an early lunch when Seto comes back. That is, unless you want to watch.” This time it was Yami’s turn to smirk.

“As honoured as I am at receiving your invitation, I think I’ll pass and take you up on that early lunch.”

As Yami went to open the door, Aime called out to him to wait. She passed him an official looking envelope.

“Give that to him, will you?” she inquired.

“Of course, my sweet lady.”

“Thank you, my kind sir.” Bowing, they then turned their backs on each other and went their separate ways - Aime went and sat at her own desk, while Yami went and sat down at Seto’s desk, waiting for him to return.

\--------------------------

Exhausted, Kaibe stepped out of the elevator, running a hand down his face. That meeting had lasted an hour longer than it should have, and the CEO could feel a headache forming behind his eyes.

“Ah. Mr Kaiba, you’re back.” Aime greeted, relieved the meeting was over for him. She stood up and started collecting her things, ready to leave. Kaiba looked on, confused.

“Where are you going? Lunch isn’t for another 45 minutes yet.” he frowned.

“I’ve been allowed an early one, Mr Kaiba.” she responded airily.

“By who?” Kaiba was too strung out by the meeting to have time for this back and forth.

“By your lover.” she whispered as she passed by him. Aime had learned early on that both men freaked out if she dared utter the ‘B’ word. Clearly they were still not willing to put a name on things, for fear of jinxing it. She watched as Kaiba’s face brightened and his eyes went wide, darting to where he could see the top of Yami’s hair bun through the frosted glass.

“Okay. Well, enjoy your lunch.” he muttered, carelessly waving goodbye as he headed towards the door.

“You too, Mr Kaiba.” Aime replied with a laugh, entering the elevator and clicking the button for the ground floor. She watched her boss enter his section of the floor, just as the elevator doors shut.

\--------------------------------

Yami looked up as a shadow covered the glass door and the handle turned.

“Finally.” he muttered under his breath. He had been starting to lose patience.

The door opened and Seto appeared, looking worn out, but clearly ecstatic to see Yami there. They both smiled at each other from across the room.

“Close the door, baby.” Yami ordered. Realising that he was still standing in the doorway, Seto did as he was told.

“Good boy. Not get down on those pretty knees of yours and crawl to me.”

“Yes, your Majesty.” Quickly falling to his knees, Seto started to crawl across the floor. Part of him missed the coarse tiles of the studios floor underneath him when he was made to crawl anywhere else. Not that he minded; Seto thoroughly enjoyed being on his knees.

He reached Yami in no time, and he soon rested his head on the dom’s thigh, sighing in contentment. The stress of the meeting was already in the distant past, as the Pharaoh combed his hair with his fingers. Just being in Yami’s company was enough to soothe Seto’s mind and he’d long since stopped wondering why. They remained silent for a few minutes, merely basking in being with each other again, both hating being apart for any length of time.

However, Yami soon broke it.

With his free hand, he reached for the envelope Aime had handed to him and passed it to his sub.

“This came for you today, dear.”

Seto reached out and grabbed it, intrigued as to what it was. Opening it, he pulled out an invitation. It was on ivory card and perfect calligraphy adorned it.

_Seto Kaiba + 1_

_Domino City Theatre_

_Red Carpet Event for the opening of the new Art Exhibition_

_7:30pm_

_28th June_

He showed the invitation to Yami, feeling a wave of excitement within him. Seto watched from his spot on the floor as his dom read the invite, however his excitement diminished, as he saw the frown on Yami’s face. Although it disappeared quickly, as the Pharaoh looked down at him, handing the invite back.

“That sounds really good, my love. It’s supposed to be a spectacular event from what I’ve read about the exhibition. I’m sure you and Mokuba will love it.”

Seto could sense the disappointment in Yami’s voice, no matter how much he tried to be enthusiastic for his sub’s sake. The brunet just snorted at it all.

“Mokuba will have received his own invitation, Pharaoh.” Eagle eyes observed Yami’s face, as the words processed. The excitement hit Seto again as he saw a hopeful twinkle appear in Yami’s violet eyes.

“You mean…?” the dom faltered off, unwilling to hope for more.

“Yes, your Majesty. Will you be my date to the exhibition?”

Yami reached down and pulled Seto up by the shoulders, bringing him into a rather enthusiastic kiss.

“Yes, baby. I would love to.” he muttered against his lips. Seto beamed and brought their lips together again. They kept snogging, until their lungs screamed for air. As they caught their breathes, they rested their foreheads together just grinning at each other.

“It will be a good night.” Seto promised.

“It will.” Yami agreed.

When their breathing evened out and returned to normal, Seto spoke up again.

“What brings you to this fine establishment at this time, dear Pharaoh?” he asked, cheekily.

“Well, my dear bitch, I have some business to attend to here.”

“And what business might that be, your Majesty?”

“Fucking a certain slut brainless.”

Seto’s innocent facade dropped in an instant, as he whimpered at his dom’s words.

“Does my beautiful slut like that, hmm? Does my baby boy want to be bent over the desk and fucked until he can walk no more?”

“Yes, Pharaoh.” Seto groaned, his erection already throbbing in it’s confines.

“Beg for it.” Yami commanded, enjoying how reactive his sub was.

“Please, your Majesty. Please fuck me here. I want it so much.” he begged. Yami feigned disinterest.

“I don’t think you do. I know you can beg better than that, dear. Maybe I should just go until you’re a trembling mess of need.”

“No.” Seto exclaimed. Yami raised an eyebrow at that, but remained silent. “I’m sorry, your Majesty. I just meant please don’t leave me. I’m already a trembling mess. My dick hurts because I want to be fucked so badly. I want to walk to my next meeting being able to feel the ache in my ass, knowing what just happened. I want to be reminded of it each time I have to sit at a board meeting this afternoon, or when I have to stand up and present. Fuck me please, your Majesty. I need it so badly. I’m your little slut, Pharaoh, and I need to be treated as one.”

Yami growled and gripped Seto’s hair, pulling his head backwards and baring his neck.

“Better.” he whispered against the taunt skin, before he bit it, causing Seto to yell out. He growled again, as Seto’s shirt collar and tie got in his way. Quickly undoing them, Yami kissed down the expanse of skin that was revealed to him. At the juncture where his neck met his collar bone, Yami bit him again. Harder this time. He wanted to mark him. He also knew that Seto wanted to be marked too. Seto always wanted to be marked.

“Fuck.” the sub cried out, thrusting his hips forward subconsciously.

A sharp whack sounded in the large room and Seto yelped at the slap Yami gave him on his ass.

“Language.” he muttered against Seto’s skin, pulling back to marvel at the bruise that was already forming. “Stand up and bend over the desk. Remove your clothes first. You can keep your shirt on though. I just want your ass.” he commanded.

“Yes, Pharaoh.” Seto scrambled to get out of his clothes as fast as he could, almost tripping up as he did so. When his lower half was bared for all to see, he leaned over the desk and presented himself to the Pharaoh. Gone were the days when he was shy and uncomfortable at being so exposed to him. Now, he couldn’t get enough.

Yami hummed in contentment as Seto did as he was told.

“Spread your legs further, my pretty slut.”

As Seto did so, his asshole came into view.

Well, it should have.

Instead, Yami could see the jewelled ass plug that he’d placed in there this morning, after they’d had their usual morning sex.

“Good boy.” Yami muttered, stepping closer and gripping it. “You’ve kept it in. Tell me how it feels, my love.” He started twisting it, and tugging on it slightly, so the flared part of it stretched Seto’s rim.

“Uhh… It feels good, your Majesty.” Seto groaned out, leaning his head against the cool metal of the desk.

He wasn’t going to last long.

“Hmmm. Does it hurt?” Yami inquired, his sub’s well being always the top priority for him. As it should be with any dom.

“No, Pharaoh. It’s just a bit uncomfortable.”

“Okay, baby boy. I’ll fix that.” Yami leaned over Seto and opened the second drawer of the desk where he knew the lube was kept for situations like this. Yami squeezed some out of the bottle directly over his entrance. Seto jumped in shock, as the cold liquid touched his sensitive skin. Yami massaged the lube around the rim, ensuring there was plenty. He played with the toy a bit more, so that the lube would also gather on it and be pushed back inside. Seto had to resist thrusting his hips down, seeking the friction he knew he could get from the desk.

It all felt good, but it wasn’t what he wanted.

Seto wanted to get fucked.

“Please, Pharaoh. Please fuck me.” he begged again.

“Since you asked so nicely, my lovely slut, I shall oblige.” Yami unbuttoned his jeans. He only pulled them down enough so that his own heated flesh was freed. Squeezing lube onto his hand, he rubbed some generously onto his erection, hissing at the temperature difference. Once Yami was prepared, he carefully extracted the plug from Seto’s ass, enjoying the array of moans and whimpers he received as he did so. Then, Yami inserted two fingers into the gaping hole. Feeling little resistance, he pushed in a third to make sure Seto was ready for him.

He was.

Thank god.

None of them were going to last long at this rate.

Removing his fingers, Yami lined his dick up with Seto’s entrance, teasing him. He leaned over his sub’s back and whispered into the skin.

“What do you want, bitch? Let me hear you say it again.”

“Fuck me, your Majesty. Please.”

“Of course, baby boy.”

Yami thrust his hips forwards, groaning as the tight, wet heat enveloped the tip. Below him, Seto moaned, relaxing his body, welcoming the penetration. Yami rubbed Seto’s back, soothing him.

“Good boy. So good for me, you always are. That’s it baby.” When he knew Seto was ready for him to go further, the Pharaoh brought his hips back and thrust back inside, going deeper until he was buried to the hilt. He leaned his forehead on the toned muscles of his sub’s back, while they both adjusted to the sensations. However, neither of them were feeling very patient anymore. Seto had a meeting in 20 minutes that he had to get to, and Yami had to go to the studio in an hour to meet Duke. And both of their orgasms where close.

Pulling out, Yami slammed back in causing Seto to arch his back and yell out.

“Shit!” he cursed. However, he loved how quickly the pain morphed into pleasure as Yami did it again and again, setting a brutally fast pace hitting his prostate again and again.

“Yesss. Like that...oh fuck. Uhhhh. Yessss.”

“You like that, slut? Is my precious boy enjoying himself?”

“Yes, Pharaoh.”

“Touch yourself.” Yami panted. “Let me feel you cum, my love.”

Reaching down underneath himself, Seto gripped his dick and tried to match the pace that Yami had set with his hips. But it was no use, for as soon as he started stroking his shaft, he came all over his hand. Feeling Seto clench his hole around his dick, Yami groaned, his hips going erratic. With a yell, he came inside of his lover, burying himself as deep as possible.

Once his muscles relaxed, he collapsed on top of Seto, who was limp above the desk. They stayed like that until they gained control over their bodies again.

Yami moved first. He grimaced, as his dick slid out of Seto’s hole when he moved back a step. The Pharaoh reached inside the second drawer again, and brought out a packet of wet wipes they kept in there. He quickly wiped the cum and lube from his penis and tucked it back inside his jeans, before moving to clean the mess from his sub’s ass. Seto moaned, the touch electrifying on his over sensitive nerves.

“Almost done, baby. You did so well there.” Yami soothed.

“Mmm.” Was all Seto could muster the energy to respond with. Even after a few weeks of fucking now, sex was still something Seto was adapting to. Yami stood up and stroked the length of his sub’s back.

“Do you want the plug back in or not, baby boy? I personally suspect you’ll be too sore for it once the endorphins settle down.”

“I’ll take your word for it then.” Seto mumbled back. Yami chuckled and kissed the spot right where the top of his spine was.

“Very well then dear. I’ll take it with me, shall I?”

“Mmm. Yes please.”

“Okay, my love.”

Yami grabbed another antibacterial wipe and cleaned the toy, pocketing it. He’d clean it properly at the studio.

Seto, meanwhile, had started to move. He pushed back, off of the desk and groaned as his muscles shouted at him. A dull ache was already starting to form where his asshole was. Sighing, he picked his clothes up and dressed again.

“What time’s your next meeting?” Yami inquired. Seto looked at his watch and his eyebrows shot up.

“Now.” He huffed, quickly spurring into action, gathering his things. Yami bit his lip to stop himself from chuckling.

“Well you best hurry then, dear.” Was all he said in response. Seto gave him a small glare out of the corner of his eye, and Yami couldn’t hold back the giggles any longer.

“You’re the boss,” The Pharaoh took a step closer and brought his arms up to circle around his neck. “They can’t complain if you’re a few minutes late.” He brought Seto down for a loving kiss, feeling him relax again.

“Is that what you tell Mai and Yugi when you’re an hour later?”

“No. I quote Gandalf.”

Seto chuckled lightly.

“Do you paraphrase it too?”

“What do you mean?” Yami cocked his head to the side, curious.

“I mean, do you say: a dom is never late. Nor is he early. He cums precisely when he means to.”

Yami threw his head back and laughed. It was always one of the most beautiful views to Seto. The Pharaoh looked back into his sub’s eyes as the giggles died down.

“I wish, but Mai would steal that one in a heartbeat. Although, I could use it with you.” He teased.

“Hmm. You could, your Majesty. But you could also use it with Yugi?”

An evil glint sparked in Yami’s eyes at that. A glint that only siblings could understand.

It meant torture for the other brother.

“I’ll leave you to think of your devilish plans, Pharaoh.” Seto announced.

“Okay baby. I’ll see you for dinner. I hope the rest of the meetings go according to plan.”

“Thank you, your Majesty.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

With a parting kiss, Seto left for his meeting.

\------------------

Later in, when Seto was curled up in bed, relaxed, his phone rang. Confused because of the late hour, he looked at the caller ID and immediately gritted his teeth. He answered it.

“What do you want?” He asked curtly, already beginning to regret answering it.

“Now now Kaiba-boy. I thought we were friends?” Pegasus chimed.

“Debatable.” Kaiba replied coldly, remembering the last time they properly spoke. “What do you want?” He repeated.

“Very well, since you don’t seem to be in the mood for small talk, I’ll get to it.”

“How very perceptive and thoughtful of you.”

“I’m a thoughtful type of guy, Kaiba. You must remember that.” Kaiba could hear the smirk that he knew was toying with Pegasus’ lips and he instantly shook the reminder of his _thoughtfulness_ from his mind.

“Pegasus! Point! Now!” He screeched down the phone, patience nothing more than a memory to him.

“I’m sure you received an invite to the red carpet event in June, Kaiba. I was wondering if you were going to invite the Pharaoh, now that you’ve made up. After all, I’d hate for an incident to happen like last time.”

Kaiba immediately thanked all the gods for the sweet blessing he had just received. Innocently, he responded.

“Actually, I know for a fact he’s not working that night.”

“Oh?” Pegasus sounded dismayed at the thought. “Why’s that?”

“Because he’s on a date that night.” Kaiba announced slyly.

“Really?” Pegasus exclaimed, clearly ready for the gossip. “How do you know that?”

“Because,” the brunet let the pause drag out longer than what was necessary. He could hear Pegasus waiting on the other end. “He’s on a date with me.”

With that, he hung up, laughing in elation and feeling like he was floating on a cloud. At that moment, Yami exited the en-suite drying his hair with a towel.

“What’s up with you?” He inquired, amused.

“I’m just happy.” Seto cried, truly feeling it in his very soul.

He’d never known what being happy could feel like until now.

“I’m glad to hear it, dear. Now how about we get some sleep.” Yami announced, climbing into bed and snuggling into Seto.

“That sounds good, Yami.”

\--------------

“This arrived for you.” Aime announced as she entered his office. Looking up from the file he was making notes on, he reached out to take it from her.

“But it didn’t arrive with the rest of the mail?” Seto looked at the envelope, confused. It was unmarked, merely addressed to him. Nothing else. Aime just shrugged.

“It was just dropped off now.”

“Okay. Thank you.” Kaiba dismissed her.

Once she left the office, he opened it.

It was a card with a bear holding flowers saying ‘Congratulations’.

Even more confused, he opened it. As he read the contents, pride rose within him. He placed the card on his desk, and went back to work.

Inside the card, it read:

_Kaiba-boy,_

_You win._

_I hope you and the Pharaoh will be as happy as Cecilia and I are._

_Your friend,_

_Maximilian._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're so cute together!! :3
> 
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	15. And baby is it too soon to call you baby? Cos its too late to tell these rebel hearts that they've lost their minds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! Part 3 of chapter 13! ;)
> 
> We hope you all enjoy.
> 
> <3

“Stop fiddling.” Seto reproached. 

“You can’t boss me around.” Yami reminded him, a hint of venom in his voice.   
  
“Fine. Can you please stop fiddling?”

Huffing, Yami did as Seto asked, clenching his fists at his sides.

Tonight, it might have been worth listening to Seto and following his lead anyway.

“It will be okay.” his lover whispered in his ear. Yami turned his head and looked into Seto’s eyes. Taking a deep breath, he decided to trust in the confidence he saw in those sapphire eyes.

“Okay.” 

Suddenly, the frown disappeared and a soft smile replaced it.

“You look beautiful.”

Yami felt himself blush. His cheeks heated up and an embarrassing grin crinkled the corners of his eyes, which he averted to stare at the floor instead. He could feel Seto looking at him. Glancing his eyes back to his sub’s face, Yami noticed he seemed shocked.

“What?” he inquired.

“It’s just...you’re blushing.” He stated. It was a simple observation but the way Seto sounded made it seem as though it was the most magical, wonderful sight he’d ever seen. 

“Yeah, well, that er...it happens sometimes.” Yami stuttered out, confused at his own shy behaviour. 

“I wish it would happen more.” 

“Shuddup.” 

“And there we go.” Seto grinned as the blush darkened on Yami’s cheeks.

“Fuck off.” Yami laughed, jokingly slapping the CEO’s shoulder. Seto grabbed his hand and pulled Yami even closer to his side.

“Never.” he whispered before leaning in for a kiss. The dom moaned into it, feeling his nerves dissipate the longer they sat, their tongues dancing together in a sweet, passionate embrace. 

“We really have to leave the car now.” Seto whispered, pulling back slightly.

“Okay.” Yami agreed. 

Seto straightened his tie and opened the door, stepping out of the limousine. Taking one last deep breath and making sure he still looked presentable, Yami followed.

\-------------------------

He couldn’t see.

There were lights everywhere. Left. Right. In front of him. Behind him. Blinding flashing lights. Dim constant lights.

He couldn’t hear.

There was noise everywhere. High pitched screeching. Low pitched shouts. Words and animalistic noises. Just constant screaming and shouting.

He couldn’t focus.

Except on Seto. He was everywhere. He was in front of him and he was grabbing hold of his hand. His grip was steady. Sure. Reassuring.

Seto led him through the stream of lights.

Seto led him through the noise and chaos.

Seto told him where to look and what to do.

Seto led him to safety. 

To a room without all the lights. 

Without all the screeching.

\--------------------------------

“Are you okay?” Seto asked, concern lacing every word. 

Yami looked up to stare in the bathroom mirror to see Seto standing a few feet away, hands in his pocket. The dom couldn’t help but admire him for the millionth time that evening, and they’d only been in each other's company for an hour.

He looked so stunningly handsome.

The tailored, midnight blue suit that he was wearing contrasted so wonderfully with the pale complexion of his skin and showed the lean muscle of his slim body. The slate grey bowtie wrapped around his delicate neck, reminding them both of his collar. Only the two of them were aware of that however. To the other attendees, it was a symbol of power and a reminder of his high class position. He wore it with dignity and respect. 

It was just a different type of collar, Yami thought.

“Yami?” Seto’s voice broke through his reverie. He moved closer to the point where he was close enough to touch, but far enough away so that he could give Yami the space he so clearly needed to compose himself. 

It was unnerving seeing his dom like this. He was usually so self-assured, so confident in everything he did, that Seto wasn’t quite sure what to do.

“I’m fine.” Yami uttered, though even he didn’t quite believed what he was saying.

This whole atmosphere, this whole event was far outside of Yami’s comfort zone, yet he had no idea why. He’d been to large parties before with clients and they’d never bothered him. In fact, he quite enjoyed them. For some reason, this was different. And he knew why.

This wasn’t work.

This was a date. 

A date with one of the most important men that would be in the room. All eyes would be on Seto, which meant, all eyes would be on him. Yami couldn’t help but feel that this was maybe a bad idea. It was too high profile, too soon. And what if someone recognised him? What if a client was there? What if the press found out? It would have a ripple effect and destroy Seto’s reputation. Unfortunately, that wasn’t a dramatic, worst case scenario. It was a very realistic possibility. Yami wasn’t stupid, he knew the world’s views on his career choice and it was not friendly, so why would it be different for Seto if they found out? 

“Pharaoh!”

Lost in his fears, he’d failed to notice that Seto was right in front of him now, concern etched onto every part of his skin.

“What’s wrong? We can leave if you want?”

Closing his eyes, Yami counted to ten, focusing on his breathing.

It would not do for Seto to see his fears.

Opening them, Yami raised his eyes to meet his lover’s.

“I’m just nervous, that’s all.” he brushed everything aside. Maybe he was being a touch dramatic? After all, he’d never feared for anyone’s career at events before so why would anyone notice anything different? Not to mention that it was incredibly hard to find anything about Yami anywhere. 

Everything would be fine.

“Is that all?” Seto seemed sceptical.

“Yes, baby. It is.” Yami leaned in to place his lips delicately against Seto’s plump, slightly chapped ones. “I swear.”

“Okay.” his sub sounded a bit unsure still, but knew not to press the matter. “Are you ready to go and mingle now?”

Yami beamed at him.

It had the desired effect - the tension eased from Seto’s face rather quickly.

“I’d love to. I didn’t get dressed up to not have others desire me.” he teased.

Seto’s frown came back in an instant.

“Why would you want that when you have me?” he actually sounded slightly hurt.

“Because I’m a whore for attention. But don’t worry sweet boy, you’re the only one who gets to show me your desire.” Yami emphasised his point by groping the front of Seto’s trousers, cupping his flaccid penis with his hand. “And I see you’re already willing to show it to me?” the dom smirked, feeling his confidence grow by the second as the dick he was groping started to swell under his ministrations.

Seto groaned.

“It’s a bit hard not to, given how you look.”

“Did you say  _ hard? _ ” he squeezed his sub’s dick and enjoyed the whimper he received. 

“Please, your Majesty. Not here.” Seto begged, sighing as Yami released him.

“Okay, baby boy. We’ll continue this when we get back to yours.” the Pharaoh promised. “Now, let’s go have some fun.”

With a quick peck to Seto’s lips, Yami waltzed out of the room with his sub following in his wake.

\------------------------------------

The night passed by in a blur.

It started off with a round of champagne and polite mingling, as all the guests arrived. None of the artwork had been unveiled. Instead the paintings and sculptures were hidden under crimson silk coverings. It brought mystery and excitement to the 200+ people, that were walking around in the room.

Yami stayed silent, clinging onto Seto’s arm and sipping on his drink. 

The dom didn’t mind however. It was enjoyable seeing his lover in this role. He never got to see Seto work, or this side of him. The 'CEO of Kaiba Corporation' side. 

He was confident and charismatic, navigating the crowd with ease. However, not once did he ever forget Yami was there. Every person Seto spoke to was introduced to “Yami, my partner.”. 

Most people smiled politely, eyeing him from head to toe. Some people blatantly scowled. A few people introduced themselves and spoke a few words to him. 

However, Yami didn’t care who scowled or who didn’t. What he did care about was the sheer amount of pride that Seto held when he spoke his name.

It filled Yami’s entire soul with love.

Although, he wished Mokuba had decided to come. The two of them had a lot of fun when they were together and Mokuba would definitely have livened the place up. Unfortunately there was an emergency at work that had required the attention of one of the brothers. 

The next part of the evening was the most fun, if one asked the Pharaoh. Seto had said that he would check it out, but his little brother had put his foot down - Seto had a date after all!

The guests gathered around a podium, as the artist introduced themself. He gave a short speech about what the art meant to him, and how honoured he was to be presenting it tonight. The second he finished, the venue’s attendants whipped off the coverings and exposed the artwork for the room to see. 

Guests scattered, venturing from one corner of the room to the other. Seto didn’t seem too interested in it, as he wasn’t particularly interested in artwork. 

Yami was dubious when Seto first said that to him. 

\---------------

_ “But your whole career is based on creating video games. The very nature of your work screams artistry! You are a fucking artist. How can you not be into art?”  _

_ “Because my art has a point. It’s fun and interactive and helps elevate the experience one has playing a card game. Art like this is just pretentious junk that takes up space. It has no point.” _

\--------------

Yami swore that he would show Seto, how good art could be after that.

He dragged his sub into a relatively quiet part of the venue to stare at an abstract piece filled with pastel colours and geometric shapes. 

It was quite uplifting, Yami felt.

It was quite boring, Seto felt.

However, what wasn’t boring, was the curiosity and enthusiasm that encompassed Yami’s whole being. His eyes took in every detail of the painting, and he looked at it in awe. His body exuded excitement and nothing remained of the Yami from the bathroom. It eased Seto’s nerves. As long as his dom enjoyed himself, then Seto didn’t care how long he had to stare at some paint on a canvas.

Soon enough, waiters came around with some entrees. Seto helped himself to a couple of different bits but he wasn’t that hungry. Yami grabbed a bit of everything and another glass of champagne. He was truly having fun now.

There was no need to worry.

As the evening went on, the noise grew, as the guests became exuberant. 

An auction was about to begin.

Yami turned to face Seto, a grin that would terrify the cheshire cat was plastered on his face. 

“You didn’t tell me there was an auction.” he accused, voice low.

“I didn’t think you’d care.” Seto admitted, feeling slightly uneasy.

“Hmm. I like a good auction.” he leaned in closer, lips brushing against his lovers. “I especially liked the last one we were at.” 

Seto shivered at the feeling of Yami’s soft lips against his as the image of Yami in his costume on the Palermo stage flashed across his mind. Then again, the Pharaoh’s outfit choice for tonight was just as enticing.

“Unfortunately,” Seto’s voice wavered as he spoke. “This auction isn’t like that one.”

“Still doesn’t mean we can’t have fun! Come on, let’s go.” Yami grabbed his hand and dragged him to the area that had been marked off for the auction.

An hour later and Yami was feeling a bit deflated. 

“I really wanted that painting! It would look amazing in the studio.” he whined. “Stupid anonymous online buyers.” 

“Come with me. I want to show you something.” Seto beckoned for the Pharaoh to follow, which he did, half-heartedly. 

His sub led him to a backroom where all of the items that had been sold were stored.

“Mr Kaiba.” the auctioneer greeted, bowing. 

“Mr Kamune.” the CEO nodded. “This is my partner, Yami.”

“Good evening, sir.”

“Good evening to you, too.”

“Would you like to view your painting again?” Mr Kamune inquired.

“Yes.”

“Then follow me, sir. It’s towards the back of the room.”

Eyebrows creased together, Yami followed the two, his curiosity piqued.

What painting? Seto bought no painting. Unless… 

Yami gasped as the auctioneer stopped right in front of the pastel painting that he’d wanted so badly. He looked up to see Seto smiling at him. 

“Do you like it?” he smirked.

“Y-you...you bought it?”

“I wanted to give you something. I saw how much you loved it.” 

Yami couldn’t say anything. He was too overwhelmed with love and joy.

No one had done something like this for him.

Except once. 

“Thank you.” he whispered, leaning in to gently kiss his partner.

“You’re welcome.”

The auctioneer cleared his throat beside them, wanting to regain their attention.

“There are some details we need to discuss, Mr Kaiba. Would you like to sort them now or at a later date?”

Seto looked towards Yami, questioningly.

“You can sort it out now. I need to go for some air, I think.” 

“Okay. I won’t be long and then we can go home.” 

Yami said goodbye to Mr Kumane, turned his back on the two men and went outside. It was starting to feel chilly and the Pharaoh was regretting his decision to not wear a coat. He pulled his arms close towards himself, hugging his body and tucking his hands under his armpits to trap his own heat.

Everyone seemed to be leaving now and the dom observed those close by, enjoying the peace he felt at people watching.

When they were children, Yami and Yugi used to make up stories about those that passed them in the streets. They gave them names and backstories and lives. Those memories were still regarded as some of Yami’s favourites. 

However, something he spotted in his peripheral view snatched that peace away from him. Quickly, he turned his head to the side and Yami’s breath hitched in his throat.

Was that…?

But it couldn’t be?

It wasn’t.

It was just the champagne and the long night taking its toll on him.

Even so…

The hair and the skin colour just seemed too real.

Feeling on edge, Yami jumped when Seto came up behind him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Nothing. I just want to go.”

Not daring to press any further, Seto asked the valet to get the limo. 

When it arrived, Yami climbed in first, sinking into the comfort of the leather interior trying to shake the unease from out of his mind.

Seto just watched, concern written all over his face.

What could have spooked his dom like that? 

\--------------------

“Mr Kaiba. Mr Mutuo.” Isono greeted them at the door.

“Thank you. Is Mokuba in bed?” 

“No, sir. He’s still out.”

“Okay. We’ll be upstairs. You can take your leave now.” Seto dismissed him.

“Thank you, sir. Good night, sir.” With a bow, the grey haired man retreated, closing the door behind him.

The two men lingered in the hallway. Yami stared anywhere but at Seto, however he was acutely aware of the eyes that observed him like a hawk. 

The dom knew that his sub was worried about him. He’d watched him closely from the moment they’d gotten in the car and it was not helping Yami’s anxiety. What the Pharaoh needed was a break.

A break from his worries.

A distraction.

A reminder of why he’d done this tonight.

A reminder of the fun he’d been having before...before his eyes played tricks on him.

Yami looked up and met Seto’s eyes.

Seto always eased his worries.

Seto was always able to distract him, one way or another.

Seto was the reason why he’d done this tonight.

Seto was the reason why he’d been having fun.

Yami straightened his stance and cocked his head to the side, smirking at the taller man.

“It’s just us two in the house.” he announced.

Within seconds, Yami and Seto were pressed against each other, lips crashing together as their pent up desires of the night flooded them. 

“Please fuck me.” the sub asked.

“Already begging, are we?” Yami teased, cupping Seto’s already hard dick through his tight trousers. The brunet whined and grinded into the touch. 

“Yes, your Majesty. I need you. I’ve needed you since the moment I saw you in that outfit.” he admitted. As Yami looked up into Seto’s eyes, he could see the lust that was clouding them, and the desperation. 

“Very well. Upstairs and strip, baby boy. I want you on the bed ready for me. Make sure the lube is at hand. I’m going to fuck you until you can’t remember your name.” Yami growled, kissing Seto one last time. With a groan, the sub turned and scampered upstairs to do as he was told.

Yami heaved a sigh of relief.

He was finally alone. 

Away from the lights. Away from the people judging him.

Away from his memories.

He was safe. He was with Seto. 

He was fine.

And he was also horny.

Yami wanted Seto as much as Seto wanted him.

The thought of his lover laid out on the bed sheets, waiting for him to come upstairs instantly had all of Yami’s worries from the evening disintegrated. There was nothing left but pure lust and want. His nerves were on edge once again that night, but this time he knew exactly what they were and what he could do with them.

The dom took the stairs slowly, knowing how desperate Seto grew when forced to wait. 

Yami loved it.

As he entered the room, Yami took in the wonderful sight before him.

The cushions were resting against the wooden headboard and the cotton sheets were pulled back. Laid out on the mattress was Seto. Naked.

He was wearing his black velvet day collar that sat delicately on his beautiful neck. Bruises from a few nights before stood out next to it and traced a path all the way down to his chest. A rose pink flush had already made it’s home on his sharp cheekbones, and his erection was resting against his toned abdomen, asking to be touched. 

Yami groaned.

“Look at you. So willing. So beautiful.” he uttered, seeing Seto preen at the compliments.

“You’re also beautiful, your Majesty. You looked so radiant tonight. When you first walked down the steps at the studio, my heart stopped. I couldn’t believe the sight I was seeing. I think I fell even more in love in that moment.” 

A blush crept onto Yami’s skin, unbidden, at Seto’s confession.

When he first chose his outfit, he wasn’t sure if he should wear it or not. Mai had been the one to ease his worries, stating quite firmly that if Seto couldn’t accept it, then you know to drop his ass off of the face of the Earth. 

However, Seto had looked at him as if he were the best thing in the whole universe. There was nothing else that could compare. Over the course of the evening, he’d mentioned how much he loved what Yami was wearing and had even glared at some people who dared to talk ill of his dom within earshot of them. 

It was in this moment that Yami was able to truly see and to truly hear how much Seto meant what he’d said.

Yami felt pure love rush through his veins as his heart contracted painfully.

Blinking away the tears that were threatening to fall, Yami took a deep breath and edged towards the bed.

“Do you love it that much, baby boy?” he teased, voice light and airy.

“Yes, your Majesty.”

“Do you want me to fuck you in it?”

Seto moaned.

“Yes, your Majesty.”

“Unlucky for you that I don’t want to. This was very expensive and I’m not going to let you soil it. But what you can do is grab the lube and prepare your tight, beautiful ass for me as you watch me strip. Can you do that, sweetheart?”

Seto keened and nodded enthusiastically.

“Good boy.” Yami praised, seeing his sub preen once more.

Once Seto had lubed up a finger and inserted it, the dom started to strip.

First, he lifted a leg up onto the bed and undid the clasp around his ankle. He took off the nude, strappy stiletto and felt his foot relax as the pressure of wearing them eased. 

Putting on a show, he traced his hand up his leg, enjoying the feel of the translucent stocking and teased the hem of his dress. As Seto whimpered at the sight, he smirked and did the same thing to his other leg after removing the second shoe. 

Once his feet were freed from the torturous footwear, Yami stroked his hands up his side and across his chest, into his hair. After toying with the gold headpiece for a moment, he decided to keep it on for the night. Instead, he moved his fingers over to his ears and took out the gold, oblong earrings. He placed them carefully onto the side table. 

After that, Yami decided it was time for the main event. 

As Seto moved to two fingers stretching his entrance, Yami reached behind his neck and pulled at the delicate knots, that were tied together. Finding the correct strand, he tugged at the lace and it undid the rest of the knots. 

As they came apart, the beautifully embroidered lace fabric covering his chest and his sides fell down, revealing his lean torso. All that was left now was the skirt of his dress that had two slits all the way up to his thigh. 

Yami shook his hips enticingly and shimmied out of the gold, silk dress, only to reveal a small, golden thong underneath that wasn’t doing a very good job at hiding his arousal. 

The tip of his erection was peeking out of the waistband of his underwear.

“Fuck.” Seto groaned, inserting a third finger, not daring to remove his eyes from Yami.

“Do you like what you see, baby boy?”

“Yes, your Majesty.” he moaned, wishing that Yami would touch him. Or let him touch Yami instead. He felt the need to worship every part of his dom’s skin. 

“How are you feeling, my dear? Do you feel good? Is your ass ready for me?” As the Pharaoh spoke, he approached the bed. 

“Uhhh. Yes, Pharaoh. Please, fuck me.” Seto begged, removing his fingers from his ass and lifting his legs, showing his lover that he was ready to be taken. 

Yami groaned at the action, feeling his resolve slip. He looked at the gaping hole that was smeared in lubricant. Unable to resist, he lowered his mouth and tongued the rim, causing Seto to yell out. 

They’d not done this before.

Encouraged, Yami settled between his sub’s legs and dipped his tongue inside, feeling the muscle give way. He pulled it back out to lick up from the entrance, across the perineum and swipe across Seto’s tight balls. Above him, his lover cried out, gripping the sheets beneath him.

“Please, Yami. I can’t…”

Understanding what Seto was meaning, and desperate himself, Yami pulled down his underwear, grabbed the lube and coated his throbbing dick in the slippery substance. Lining himself up, he slowly entered. They both grunted at the sensations. Giving Seto time to adjust, Yami leaned over to lazily kiss his lover, feeling the atmosphere change around them as Seto brought his legs up to wrap around Yami’s waist and his arms circled his neck, long fingers tangling in the Pharaoh’s unique hair. They both hummed into the kiss, enjoying the feel of each other.

They were no longer feeling desperate and passionate. Instead they were feeling close, bonded, and loved. 

Going along with the shift in the mood, Yami pulled out and gently thrusted back in reveling in the way Seto gasped at the movements, and how his fingers curled, nails scratching at his scalp. Their tongues still intermingled together. He gave a few more small, experimental thrusts, grinding as he filled Seto to the hilt. Both of them had stopped kissing now, yet their foreheads remained touching, eyes locked together. Yami loved how those beautiful blue eyes widened depending on the angle he used to thrust inside. How they closed so Seto could focus on the sensations he was experiencing. Seto was just so reactive. So sensitive. And Yami couldn’t get enough. 

He set up a slow rhythm, increasing it at a steady pace. He brought one of his hands, which had been located either side of Seto’s head, to grip his lover’s hip. Yami stroked the soft skin there as Seto keened under the touch, gasping in surprise at the new pleasure that simple movement could bring. Meanwhile, Yami groaned, as Seto’s hands moved from his hair to his shoulders, clinging onto the skin there, as though it was the only thing keeping his sub afloat. Looking at his face, Yami thought that it might be true. It was thrown back, eyebrows creased together, eyes shut in pure ecstasy. Each thrust inside caused his mouth to open wider as tiny little moans started to escape. 

It spurred the Pharaoh onwards. 

He picked up his pace, thrusting harder and faster now, the hand on the brunet’s hip, tightening. Seto joined in, pushing his hips down to meet Yami’s. 

“Fuck. That feels good, baby. You’re so good.” he groaned, moving his head down to mouth at the sweat covered flesh of his neck. 

“Uhh. Yami. Feels good. Don’t stop. Please don’t stop.”

Yami gave a particularly rough thrust forwards, angling his hips ever so slightly, and it caused Seto to arch his back off of the bed, yowling. 

Encouraged, Yami allowed himself to let go bit by bit until his resolve snapped. There was nothing left of them, but primal needs and wants. Yami brought his other hand down to grip onto Seto’s hip, so that he could leverage himself better and thrust harder. The sound of their hips smacking together mingled with the indiscernible noises that were coming from both of them. 

Soon enough, Yami felt the tell tale signs that he was about to cum. He moved his hands away from Seto’s hips to place them back into their original positions. Nipping at any skin that Yami could get to, he whispered hoarsely against the blotchy skin of his lover. 

“So close, baby. ‘M so close.”

“Ahhh. M-me...me to! Ya - ah -mi. Please. Please let me cum. Uhhhh.” 

Yami reached down to grip Seto’s erection, that was leaking profusely all over their stomachs, coating them in pre-cum.

“Cum for me, baby.” he muttered against the brunet’s lips, nibbling at Seto’s lower lip as he did so. 

With a wretched cry, Seto did, squirting thick ropes of cum all over Yami’s hand and their stomachs. As his sub’s hole clenched around him and his fingernails scratched at his bare back, the Pharaoh felt his own orgasm crash over him, tensing his muscles and curling his toes, shooting his own release deep inside of Seto.

They remained a tangle of limbs for a moment until their muscles relaxed and Yami’s erection started to go flaccid. He pulled out, the squelching sound as he did so made him cringe. Seto pulled a face at the same time as he felt the mix of lubricant and Yami’s semen leak out of his gaping hole.

Rolling onto his back beside his lover, Yami tried catching his breath. His mind was blissfully clear, and his heart was content. He snuggled into Seto and whispered into his chest.

“I’m so glad you’re my boyfriend. I love you so much.”

Seto felt his heart constrict at the words.

Boyfriend.

Yami had called him his boyfriend.

He couldn’t help but beam at the ceiling, overjoyed at the word. 

“I’m so glad you’re my boyfriend too. I love you more than I can express.” he admitted.

Yami grinned and curled even closer into the warm body next to him.

That was how they fell asleep - covered in semen but feeling completely and utterly loved and content with the world.

\-----------------------------

“Can I help you sir?” the woman behind the glass asked politely.

“Yes. I was wondering if I could post this, first class?” he replied, shoving a letter into the gap.

“Certainly. Is the address correct?” 

“Yes.”

“Is that all, sir?” The woman inquired.

“Yes, thank you.”

“Okay then, sir. It will be posted out later today and should arrive tomorrow.”

“Thank you.”

“Have a good day, sir.”

“I shall.” 

Turning, the man exited the post office, where his companion was waiting for him.

“Did you do it?”

“I did. The first part of the plan is done. Now we need to finish final preparations. Come, Rishid. There’s lots to do.”

“Yes, master Marik.” Rishid followed Marik down the street, who was deep in thought.

The Pharaoh thought he’d escaped him, but Marik knew that the world would bring them together again. The art exhibition had provided more than just a job - it had provided a way back to him. The one that got away. It also reminded him that the Pharaoh did not know what he wanted, not if his new boyfriend was anything to go by.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun duuunnnnn.
> 
> As always, we appreciate any sort of feedback you want to give. :D
> 
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	16. Do you want me circle yes, no, or maybe And is it okay to see my future in your eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> This chapter is a combination of two chapter drafts and a oneshot!
> 
> We hope you enjoy!  
> <3

Seto groaned, as he blinked his eyes open, the harsh light of dawn creeping in through the crack in the curtains.

What time was it?

He tried to move, but the heavy weight of Yami’s sleeping form held him firmly in place and Seto was reluctant to move away from it.

But he had work.

Carefully, Seto extracted himself from Yami’s embrace, grimacing at the dried semen that covered them.

God they both needed a shower!

As the sub stood up, Yami turned in his sleep, pulling the sheets up to his chin as he did so. He let out a content sigh.

Seto felt an overwhelming surge of love for the sleeping man. His heart tugged in his chest, and he felt as though it would burst out of him. His stomach did somersaults and a beaming smile lit up his face.

How did he get so lucky?

Unwilling to leave his dom, but knowing that he had to, Seto made his way gingerly over to the bathroom.

Last night's activities were still very much noticeable.

\-------------------

The sound of rustling and movements woke Yami. Refusing to admit he was awake yet, he stirred under the sheets, hoping to find Seto’s warm body to curl into. It wasn’t there. Instead, he was greeted with a cold mattress and the faint lingering smell that Yami knew was all Seto.

Opening his eyes slightly, he spotted Seto. He had a towel wrapped around his bare shoulders and was bent over putting on his socks and shoes. Enjoying the view of Seto’s pert ass in his tailored, navy blue trousers, Yami decided to keep the fact that he was awake a secret. At least for now.

Although it didn’t last as long as he hoped.

Sensing a pair of eyes watching him, Seto smirked. Still tying his shoelaces, he addressed the room.

“Enjoying the view, Pharaoh?”

Not even phased at being called out, Yami responded with a simple “Yes.” Although now, he was able to stretch and make himself even more comfortable. Chuckling, Seto straightened up and turned around, seeing the peaceful look on his boyfriends face.

“Good morning, Your Majesty.” He greeted, moving towards the bed.

“Hmm. Good morning baby.” As Seto reached the bed, he bent over and gave Yami a tender kiss, not caring in the slightest at his dom’s morning breath. He’d gotten used to it.

Breaking apart, they smiled at one another. They both enjoyed this time of morning, where the chaos of the day had not yet started and affected them. Where they were able to just be carefree and enjoy each other's company. However, it was usually interrupted by someone’s bodily needs.

Sighing, Yami sat up in bed and Seto moved aside to let him stand up, grabbing a shirt out of the wardrobe as he did so.

“Fuck.” The Pharaoh groaned as he processed the mess he was in. “Why did we fall asleep before cleaning up?”

“Because you fucked me senseless and we were both exhausted?” Seto smirked, fastening the last button.

“True.” Yami laughed.  
It had been a great night.

“I best get showered. There’s no way I’m going back to bed like this.” He mused, mindlessly scraping at a bit of dry cum.

“I’ll meet you downstairs for breakfast then?”

“Sure baby.”

With a quick peck to the lips, they both exited the bedroom through different doors.

\------------------

Mokuba and Yami trailed into the living room.  
They had a plan. Or at least a concept.

Overnight, the internet had blown up.  
Wherever you clicked, it was hard to avoid the topic of the day.

Seto Kaiba was dating.  
And not just anyone. He was dating a man.  
A man the public had no name for other than “the Pharaoh”.

Earlier on when they were sat eating breakfast, both Kaiba boys had watched their socials blow up. Seto, who had gotten more active on social media after Mokuba forced him to post some of the selfies he had taken for Yami, was shocked.

He knew the internet was a crazy place.  
But the sheer amount of people who had thoughts on his relationship, on his Pharaoh, had surprised him.

Yami had been quite stunned himself, when he found out.  
Especially when both brothers started to smile after their stocks plummeted.

“What is this about? I know people are homophobic disgusting pieces of shit, and I should have known it would affect your company. But why the fuck are you celebrating?!”

Mokuba, who had curled his hands into fists as he watched the numbers drop, cheered in victory.  
What was happening?

The older brother finally addressed Yami’s question.  
“Kaiba Corp. has blown up over the last few months. Mokuba and I have been searching for a way to get our shares back for a while. But the prices kept rising and there was no hurry. Now, they’ve dropped to a low they haven’t reached in years. People will frantically sell their shares. A perfect chance for us to get back what belongs to us. The internet is short lived. Someone else will do something interesting tomorrow or the day after, and the stocks will rise again. But then, they will be ours again.”

Yami stared at him.  
“So this was calculated?”

Kaiba shrugged.  
“It was expected. I didn’t out myself as a publicity stunt, if that’s the question. I did it for me. And for you. But if the effect can be used in a positive way, why not make good use of it?”

  
The Pharaoh nodded.  
Mokuba had provided him with social media of his own.  
Not that Yami had no idea on the subject, in fact both Kaiba brothers were surprised when they found out how active he was on the internet, but he was very good at hiding his accounts.

This wouldn’t be necessary now. The world was supposed to recognise him. Kaiba had dragged their relationship into the limelight for everyone to see and judge, and Yami would gladly step up to the challenge and provide his part of the deal.

He also enjoyed standing up to bullies.

Which was why he and Mokuba were now settling in on the couch in the living room.

Yami had made sure he looked extra presentable.  
The world could judge him for his relationship all they wanted, but no one would be able to clock his makeup.

Mokuba had watched him and told him to start a Youtube channel.  
He actually thought about it.  
Just to spite people.

They both flopped down on the comfortable leather couch.  
Yami poured two cups of tea, and picked up his obviously branded “KC” mug, turning the logo to the camera.  
Whatever it took to piss off those who judged them.

He had thought about this for a while, ever since Seto had asked him out, and ultimately decided that he would flaunt their relationship. If the world wanted to see him as Seto Kaiba’s treasure wife, he’d gladly provide them with those visuals.  
  
Yami had never taken other people’s concepts of gender too seriously, but now that he knew that the way he held himself and acted would influence a whole generation, he was determined to do whatever was possible to blur the lines as much as he liked.  
To inspire, and to spite those who said it was wrong.  
Look, world! He was a man wearing skirts and dresses and high heels and corsets. And he was banging one of the most successful people out there.

Yami smiled to himself. People were already freaking out.  
He could only imagine the hell that would break loose if they ever found out he was a top.

Mokuba pulled him out of his own head.  
He smiled wide at Yami.  
“Ready Pharaoh?”

Yami smiled back.  
“I was born ready.”

“Uuh. Cheeky.”  
They both giggled.

Mokuba activated the camera with a remote.  
He had been responsible for Kaiba Corp.’s social media department for quite a while now, and was largely responsible for the brand’s success with the younger generations.

The internet loved Mokuba.  
Partly because he was always up to date and followed the newest trends, partly because he seemed to be so much more approachable than his brother.

Yami smiled into the distance, while Mokuba enthusiastically greeted his followers. He focused his attention, when he heard his name.

“... and with me today is the man you all should have seen by now, because it’s virtually impossible to avoid him if you use the internet. At all. Hi Pharaoh!”

“Hi Mokuba.”

“Thank you for your time!”

“It’s not like I wasn’t here anyway.”  
They both looked at each other warmly.  
It was obvious how much they liked the other one.

“Okay before we start, I got one question for everyone.  
HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE THIS MAN?  
Honestly, there is so much unnecessary hate out there, which is why we are creating this video in the first place, but… just look at him?  
How can you not adore him?”  
Mokuba seemed to be honestly confused.  
How could anyone not love Yami?  
Couldn’t they see how happy he made Seto?

“Anyway” - he continued - “Back to the topic. Hate. A lot of people said a lot of awful things about not only the Pharaoh, but also about my brother and their relationship. And since it’s always the healthiest reaction to ignore hate comments, we are here to discuss them.  
Because we are petty. Fight me.”

Yami snorted at that. Mokuba was awfully invested.  
It was adorable. Also, Yami had a huge amount of respect for the teenager. He tilted his head and smiled at the camera.

“Seto isn’t interested in dealing with y’alls bullshit, but that’s okay. He has to work anyway. And I doubt he’s half as sassy as you are.”  
He turned and grinned at Yami, who smiled genuinely back.

“Probably not.”

“Okay, then let’s start!”  
Mokuba pulled a big bowl into the frame, filled with a bunch of tiny white papers.  
“I collected some of my favorite hate comments for you, so you can read them out and give people a bit of your mind on them.”

Yami smirked.  
“Great, thank you. I don’t even have to search for them myself?”

“No, I prepared everything.”

“Seto would be proud.”  
People were going to be pissed at him dropping the first name so casually.  
Good.

Mokuba handed him the glass bowl.  
Yami put his mug down and grabbed the first piece of paper.

“ “The Pharaoh” is a stupid name and you should feel stupid. This is highly culturally inappropriate and you should apologise!”

Yami jerked his head back, looking at Mokuba in surprise.  
“Damn Moki, I got questions. First off, does this person realise that I didn’t introduce this name, but it was actually Seto? And does this person actually want to call Seto stupid? Because…” He snorted.

“And second… How is this culturally inappropriate? To whom should I apologize? BITCH I AM EGYPTIAN?”

Mokuba laughed happily.  
“I knew this would be fun. Read another.”

“This Pharaoh dude is only interested in Kaiba’s money. Golddigger!”

“I mean… honestly, IF I was a gold digger, IF, wouldn’t it be terribly stupid to show my face to the cameras? Like… HERE, associate me publically to this rich and influential person so when I ultimately move on to someone with more money or more influence or whatever, the public will always associate my face with dating rich men? This would be like a public self call out? How stupid do you have to be to do that?”

The teenager was howling.  
“Also, what I would like to add right here is, that the Pharaoh has never received anything from us. That dress, those shoes, the jewellery? He paid for everything on his own. He has his own flat. He does neither need nor want our money, but go off, I guess.”

Yami felt pleasantly warm. He smiled at Mokuba, knowing that every word was true. He HAD refused any gift Seto had tried to bestow upon him, specifically because it was important to him to be able to make this statement. Well, every gift he’d been aware of Seto wanting to give him. The painting from last night was a surprise, and one that he was unable to stop. But no one knew about that.

He shook the bowl towards Mokuba.  
“Choose one!”

He picked a piece of paper and read out loud.  
“The Pharaoh looks 100% fuckable, but like he can’t do anything else.”

Yami burst out laughing.  
“I mean they aren’t wrong…”

“Yeah exactly. That’s why you actually met at a business conference. That’s why you are actually a successful entrepreneur. Because you are, apparently, amazing in bed, if you want to believe this random person on the internet. Or the fact that I slept three hours last night.”

Doubling over from laughing, Yami almost spilled the tea he had picked up in between. “OH MY GOD Mokuba you have to cut this, Seto will kill you. Probably both of us.”

But the younger man just grinned slyly into the camera.  
“It’s not like he’s watching my videos…”

He turned back to Yami and winked.  
“I’m not going to tell him if you won’t.”

The dom just grinned mischievously.  
“You want to read another? This one has been much friendlier than mine.”

Mokuba picked one.

“I’m 100% convinced the Pharaoh is an actor paid by Kaiba Corp. to pretend to love Kaiba. No one could stand this jerk so long without getting pissed.”

He opened his mouth, then rolled his lips in and bit on them, pulling his eyebrows up.  
“Oh boy. That was actually a dig at Seto, wasn’t it? I mean, I’m not even a gold digger anymore.I’m a fucking actor. Recommend me to the academy! No but honestly, it’s interesting this person thinks he’s so unloveable you have to hire an actor.”  
He frowned at Mokuba.

The younger Kaiba just shrugged.  
“I mean they aren’t wrong, he is annoying.” He grinned, trying to keep the tone light, because he could sense Yami’s actual discomfort.

The dom didn’t care one bit, what people had to say about himself, but he hated it when they attacked his partner like that.

“But seriously, you have NO IDEA how much fanpost he gets and how much valentines chocolate I get to eat every year because people are so interested in him. It’s insane. I mean I know, there’s a good portion of them interested in his money, but… an actor, are you all for real?”  
He glimpsed at Yami, who had apparently calmed down a little.  
  
Mokuba shoved the glass bowl under his nose to stop him from sulking.

Yami snapped out of it as soon as it entered his field of vision.  
“You haven’t actually put anything pleasant in there, did you?”

“Do you want me to make another one with thirsty reactions? Because there were ENOUGH.”

He laughed. “Yes please.”

Mokuba looked directly at the camera again.  
“Honestly just send us some thirsty tweets and add the Pharaoh or me. I promise I’ll make him read some nasty stuff in this honey dripping voice.”  
He winked.

Yami was intrigued how much Mokuba knew about being an influencer.  
It was obvious he created a feeling of being involved, a feeling of approachability. The viewer was meant to feel like a friend sitting on the sofa opposite from them, laughing and drinking tea with them.

He nodded.  
“Yes, if you want me to read sexy stuff instead of mean comments about my relationship, I’m totally down for that!”

Mokuba laughed. He was glad Yami apparently felt better.  
And that he was down for that idea. Because the younger Kaiba knew this would create traffic like crazy.

“The Pharaoh could be really cute, but makeup on a dude is gross!”

Yami blankly stared at the camera.  
He suddenly regretted choosing a nude complexion and light day makeup.

Mokuba leaned over at him, also staring at the camera.  
“I’m ready for a fancy evening makeup tutorial whenever you are.”

Yami smirked, still staring into the camera.  
Then, he turned to Mokuba, who shut the camera off.  
“Bathroom?”

“Bathroom.”

\--------------------------

They ran up the stairs giggling.  
Mokuba loved watching Yami apply makeup, and the latter one enjoyed the company. He liked to show off his skills and explain the steps.  
Maybe he should do tutorials.

The younger Kaiba leaned on a small shelf, excitedly watching Yami search through his makeup kit.  
“Do you have to work today?”

“Nope.”

“Nice! So we get to spend the whole day together if Seto stays in the office all day?”

“If you want to?”

“I’d love to.”

They stayed in comfortable silence for a while, only interrupted by Yami explaining which products he used and why. When he was almost done, Mokuba searched his gaze in the mirror.

“Can I ask you for something?”

Yami turned around to be able to look at him for real.  
“Anything.”  
He was honest. He’d do anything in his might for the younger Kaiba.  
They haven’t known each other for long, but both men had a ton of respect for the other one.

“Can you do my makeup, too?”

Yami beamed.  
“Of course I can! But they will probably hate it.”  
His expression darkened a bit.

“Good. I don’t need people to sympathise with me that say stuff like that about my brother. Or you.”

“So this is like.. spite makeup?”

“Kinda, yeah. You don't wear makeup this heavy on a normal day either, do you?”

Yami laughed softly.  
“No.”

“So don't get me wrong. I love it with you and I feel like it's incredibly fascinating. But I wouldn't do it on my own. At least not now. I want this to fuck with people. To show solidarity. Not just with you, but with everyone expressing their gender however they want. I'm a straight, cis dude with giant privileges. Why not use it? If I won't, who will?”

Yami was overcome with the need to hug Mokuba to his chest.  
Although the young man was a similar height to Yami, he felt a lot like a big brother around Mokuba.

The dynamic with him was extremely different from his dynamic with Yugi, but it didn’t matter, he loved both.

Mokuba seemed to feel similar, because he suddenly stepped closer to Yami and flung his arms around him.  
“We don’t have to continue the video, if you don’t like it. It’s just… I want to show people so bad, how much you two love each other. I feel terrible whenever I read one of those comments, because I know they aren’t true, and I want to scream at people.”

Yami hugged him tight.  
“Do you even know what a remarkable person you are?”

He grinned shyly.  
“I try. I just don’t know how... to help? There’s so much I’d like to comment on, but I just don’t understand it. I’ve got the platform, but I struggled on what to do with it for so long. I’m just glad you are giving my bullshit a real purpose today.”

They hugged for a second, before Yami turned back around, and started to apply products to Mokuba’s face.  
“Anything specific?”

“Make it gay. I want to piss them off.”

Yami smiled brightly.  
“Perfect.”

\-------------------------  
  
When they settled back in front of the camera, they looked like drag queens. Not that feminine, but the amount of makeup was similar.

Mokuba started the recording.  
“I think makeup on dudes looks spectacular. Pharaoh?”

“Absolutely.”

Mokuba grabbed another slip of paper.

“Oh, this one is actually aimed at Seto again, but I thought you’d like it:  
"@Seto_Kaiba, why date a man, if you can have all those gorgeous women out there?"”

Slowly, a very devilish grin crept up on Yami’s face.  
He just smiled in the camera with surprising intensity.

Mokuba watched him from the side, smirked knowingly, and put the paper away.

“Your turn.”

Yami looked at him.  
“Have you actually had any hatred directed at you?”

He exhaled heavily.  
“Oh a fuckton. People just don’t know how to keep it civil.”

“What did they say?”

“Someone asked me what it’s like to have a faggot as a brother.”

Yami scrunched his brows and looked stern.  
“They did what?”

Mokuba grinned.  
“Don’t worry about it. I think they.. learned their lesson.”

It burned under his nails to ask what Mokuba did, but he knew the younger Kaiba wouldn’t talk about it in front of the camera anyway.  
Despite that, he had a very good idea of the damage someone as knowledgeable as Mokuba could do.

“Your turn.” Mokuba insisted again.

Yami grabbed another one.

“The Pharaoh looks like a person who will be calm all the time, but once you attack his friends, he’ll claw your throat.”

Surprise washed over Yami’s face.  
“You know Moki, this isn’t actually mean, because it’s true. I don’t care what people have got to say about me. But if you attack my loved ones, I’m gonna get pissed.”

“Did you realise you laughed about anything that had to do with you, but as soon as Seto was involved…-”

“Because people don’t understand, what an amazing person he is!  
They think, oh, he’s not approachable. So he must be an asshole. But what they don’t know is, that he used to work around 16 hours a day before we got together. Everyone, check the KC tax report. Look at how much money they actually spend on children orphanages. Look at how much money they donate to shelters! Do y’all even know Seto personally designed wheelchair suitable duel disks? Because to him, a person is worth what they do with their resources, not what they are born into.  
He’s not the monster you all think he is!”

He only realised, how agitated he had gotten when his rant was finally over.  
Mokuba looked at him with big eyes.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t. Please don’t ever apologise for your love.”

\-------------------

Yami blinked his eyes open.  
He looked around and for some reason he still couldn’t believe it.  
  
He was at the Kaiba mansion, where he woke up an awful lot recently.  
Not that he was discontent about it.  
But it was still unbelievable to him.

They had been to that art exhibition only two days ago, but the media had went feral after this. Pictures of him and Seto were… everywhere. So he had decided to camp it out in the manor.  
  
Yami hadn’t had a relationship in many years. Not only a public one, but in general.  
He was not used to the warmth of another human snuggling up to him.  
Not that this happened often with Seto.  
  
The CEO still had a ridiculous work schedule.  
But today, he would work from home.  
  
This meant, that he’d be occupied most of the day nonetheless, but Yami could still spend time with him. And even more importantly, it meant, that the bed would be warm when he woke up.  
  
The Pharaoh rolled over, happy and relaxed, and bumped into the warm body of his lover, just as he had intended.  
  
Seto looked down on the mop of wild hair, that had moved to lay on his chest.  
  
Some hours ago, he had gotten his laptop and started working.  
It was not nearly as healthy for his back to sit so crooked, but it was healthy for his soul.

Being close to his dom, to his boyfriend, made him happier than anything ever did before.  
  
Seto had been surprised to find out that Yami was actually not a morning person. At all.  
He had assumed, that his Pharaoh got up early, too, because he was awake to answer his photo texts. But when he learned he set an alarm just for that, and was barely alive at this time, he had newfound respect for him.  
  
Yami was a night owl.  
He loved staying up late and going out.  
That didn’t exactly translate well with Seto’s schedule.  
  
But even though both of them loved spending time together, they had accepted, that they needed some space.  
  
Nonetheless, right now, all they needed was each other.  
  
Yami was still sleep-drunk, and he cuddled up to the bigger body.  
Especially in the early mornings, he wasn’t exactly the definition of dominant. Or composed, for that matter.  
  
Seto had been shocked when he first found out, but the more often he saw his lover like that, the happier he felt. Yami trusted him enough to let his guard down, and show him his soft, cuddly side.  
  
Although, what pressed on his leg right now, was not soft at all.  
Kaiba felt his mind stutter at the sensation.  
  
Lifting the laptop off himself, he placed it on the nightstand and scooted lower under the covers.  
  
Yami was normally very well composed.  
But a tired Yami, even more so a tired Yami with a raging boner, was easy game!  
  
Cuddling closer, Seto moved his long limbs towards his lover, careful not to restrict him.  
That would be a direct challenge to his dominance, and would immediately ruin any chance he might have had on a quick fuck.  
  
And sure enough, Yami did respond.  
He grinded down on Seto’s leg, lifting his head to place lazy kisses on his boyfriend’s lips.  
  
“Good morning, your Majesty.”  
Seto spoke softly against his lips.  
  
Yami smiled, looking like a big cat rolling around in the sunlight.  
“Good morning, baby!  
  
If Seto played his cards right now…  
  
“What can I do to make you happy today, Pharaoh?”  
  
Yami almost purred.  
He got even closer, now having full body contact to his boyfriend.  
Rubbing himself against the taller frame, he happily mumbled:  
“I don’t know Seto, what can you do?”  
  
This was an open invitation, right?  
He reached down, and carefully started to caress the Pharaoh’s back.  
“Hmmm. I could give you a massage, your majesty?”  
  
Another soft smile, and a reassuring wiggle.  
Yami hated to hand over control, but a massage was one of the few situations when he didn’t mind being immobilized by someone sitting on top of him, touching him. Of course, he wouldn’t grant that privilege to many people, so it was still special.

“That would be nice.”  
His words were barely audible, swallowed by dizziness and the skin he lay on.

Seto extracted himself and watched his Pharaoh splay himself out on the bed. He carefully straddled him, and got some lube from the drawer.  
Too bad they didn’t have any massage oil.  
He grinned to himself.

The smell of the mildly scented lube drifted around the room.  
He could already feel himself harden.  
Good. Because Yami would notice it when he leaned forward to touch the tight muscles in his shoulders.

Kaiba worked his way over the lithe skin, trying in earnest to loosen some knots and to get Yami to relax.  
A calm, but horny Yami meant making love instead of fucking.

Not that Kaiba minded fucking, but after yesterday, he still felt a bit sore and didn’t want to risk anything.  
He’d have to be able to walk around the office tomorrow, thank you very much.

After a while, he felt his lover get agitated. He leaned more into the touch than usual, moaning softly, when Kaiba stroke over his skin and pressed down on pressure points.

It was looking good so far. He leaned up to Yami’s shoulder multiple times in quick succession, causing his erection to rub against his Pharaoh’s lower back.  
Come on.

Yami kept moaning and leaning into the touch happily, but he didn’t show any other reaction.

Kaiba was getting restless.  
He enjoyed touching his partner, and he wanted him to feel good, but he also had his own motives in mind.

“Hey Pharaoh.”  
He grinded down his hips in a quite obvious notion.  
“Do you want me to massage your front, too?”

Yami smiled blissfully at him over his shoulder.  
“No thanks, baby. I’m good.”

Kaiba mumbled pettily.  
This was his free day! He had spent it in bed, even though it meant working in an uncomfortable position. He had given Yami a massage, all on his own accord. Why would Yami not indulge him? He was a good boy!

Yami kept smiling at him, and only now, Seto saw the mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

“What is up, dear? Why do you look so unhappy? You get to touch me casually, you should be grateful.” His voice was teasing, daring Kaiba to say something stupid.

The taller man swallowed hard.  
So Yami had known what he was up to, and played along.  
He always forgot, how perceptive his dom was, apparently even when tired.

But he wasn’t too dim, either.  
He mumbled: “No your majesty. I just can’t believe my luck to be allowed to be around you. I just thought about how much I hate it to be away from you and that made me angry.”

Yami’s grin grew wolfish.  
“Thin ice, Seto. I can hear when you lie.”

Kaiba decided to nod his head in answer, not daring to use his voice, afraid it would give his emotions away.

He continued his massage for a while, not brave enough to stop right now, because he feared to anger Yami.  
The latter one had returned to happy humming and leaned into the touch.

After a while, he let himself fall to the side, crashing into the mattress with a “thunk”. He gazed up to Yami, who had turned his head so he could look at him.

“Thank you, baby boy.”

Seto crawled closer.  
“You are welcome, Pharaoh.”  
He was rewarded with a sweet kiss.

Yami let his head fall back into the pillow.  
“I’d like to eat breakfast now. I’m hungry. Why don’t you get us something nice?”

For a second, Kaiba wanted to tell him to just come to the kitchen and eat with him at a table, that was what they had a chef for, after all.  
But at the last second, his intuition stopped him.

Yami normally didn’t ask for a lot, he mostly cared for himself, even if his status as a dom would give him every right to do so.

Was something going on?  
Was this a test?

Because Seto was determined to pass it with flying colours.

He kissed his dom, and got up to hurry and get him breakfast.

After a few minutes in the kitchen, he had assembled a proper meal. Yami would be proud! Carrying it on a tray, he stepped back into his own bedroom.

His Pharaoh was propped up against the pillows, smiling warmly.  
Seto sat the tray next to Yami on the bed, possible stains on the expensive fabric be damned, and crawled into bed. He curled himself up at Yami’s feet, determined to demonstrate, that he was aware of his position.

Only when Yami had eaten a bit, he called for him to join in.  
“Good boy. Come here. Eat with me, baby.”

Kaiba crawled over the bed, careful not to move too quickly, so nothing would fall over and spill. When he reached the top part, he obediently sat down and waited for Yami to pick something he was allowed to eat.

Yami was smiling at him again, and he started to feel warm, completely without any touch. His Dom's approval felt… nice. He wanted more of that.

When his Pharaoh had chosen, what he was allowed to eat, he leaned forward, and obediently opened his mouth. Seto hoped, that Yami wouldn’t consider it a demand, but rather a gesture of trust and devotion.

He was rewarded with a warm grin, and knew, he had done the right thing.  
“Such a good boy.”

As Yami moved food into his mouth, Kaiba clamped his lips down over his fingers, sucking and licking at them lightly, all the while holding eye contact.

His heart soared as Yami’s gaze grew distant for a second, unfocused and lost in thoughts.  
Good.

Seto was proud. The effect he had on Yami made him happy.  
He felt his priorities shift.  
This was better than fucking.  
He wanted to be praised.

They ate most of their food in silence, Yami feeding his lover from time to time. Seto kept the fingers longer and longer in his mouth, moaning around them.

After a while, when he wouldn’t let Yami extract them easily anymore, the dom leaned forward. He replaced his fingers with his tongue.  
Kaiba blissfully breathed into the kiss.  
Yami tasted warm and fresh, like coffee and fruit.  
Heavenly.

The pharaoh carried the tray away and went back to bed. He pushed his lover down, straddling him.

“Well baby… it looks like you have been a good boy overall…”

Kaiba’s breath quickened in excitement.  
“I try Pharaoh. I try for you! I want to make you proud!”

Yami smiled with mirth.  
“And here I was, thinking you are trying to get yourself off.”

So he had definitely been caught. Shit.  
“Your majesty… “ - he wound himself a little bit, trying not to lie but also not to anger his Pharaoh - “... I have to admit I was tempted to try to get you to indulge my physical pleasure… but I understand now, that this is wrong, and that it's completely your decision.”  
Fingers crossed Yami would appreciate honesty.

He leaned back and softly grinded his hips down.

Yes. That felt good.

“This sounds much more promising than a lot of stuff I've heard from you recently… do you want to suck me off?”

Kaiba stared at him.  
No, he did NOT want to suck him off. He wanted to be fucked.  
“Yes, your majesty.”

Yami grinned happily.  
“Even if I won't let you touch yourself?”  
Fucking shit he wasn't even allowed to get himself off?

Yami had always been liberal with his rules towards orgasms, only restricting them as a punishment most of the time.

Was this a punishment?

He gulped hard.  
“Yes, your majesty.”

“And if I decide I want to fuck your mouth, choking you with my cock buried in that pretty face?”

Yami was wide awake now, easily rolling the lewdest teases off his tongue.

Kaiba's chance on a quick, loving fuck had passed.

“Then I'll gladly take it, Pharaoh.”

“That's a very, very good answer, baby.” Another roll of his hips, pressing his erection to Seto's with force.

He moved away from him for a second, but only to get his underwear off. Then, he straddled Seto again, scooting up higher, so he was sat on his lover’s chest.  
Yami grabbed his hard dick, and guided it to Seto's lips.

“Open.”

He split his lips obediently, keeping steady eye contact with Yami, while the latter one inserted himself slowly.

Seto felt his gag reflex act up.  
But Yami didn't back down. Instead, he pushed further, smiling and nodding knowingly.  
“Relax, or this is going to be unpleasant for both of us.”

Kaiba wanted to be a good boy. He wanted to pleasure his Pharaoh. But it was getting hard, quite literally.

He felt his throat constrict painfully. His body was heaving, but to no avail, even if he had to vomit, his esophagus was blocked right now.

He could feel a bit of panic and a lot of lust. Yami was completely controlling him right now, allowing him to breath, or not, using him like a toy for his own pleasure, and Seto was slowly starting to understand the appeal.

Relaxing himself a bit, he tried to take the length without struggling too much.

After a few seconds, Yami had found a steady rhythm, pounding into him slowly but deeply.  
He was breathing hard now, sweating slightly from the uncomfortable angle he had to hold himself in.

Kaiba felt himself slip. The sight, the sensation, the noise. Everything was combined to an incredible, enticing cocktail.  
He went slack jawed, just watching Yami work him.

The sub wanted to touch himself so bad. He was painfully hard now, and Yami's relentless, powerful thrusts combined with the feeling of belonging, being owned, being marked made him ache for release.

It hadn't taken long for them to ditch condoms. Yami had regular health check ups because of his job, just as a security, and Kaiba had been a virgin. But nonetheless, both had taken a blood test without any discussion.  
They were better safe than sorry.

But now that both had come up clean, nothing was holding them back anymore, quite literally.

It didn't take long for Yami to reach his orgasm, the massage had riled up both of them.

He came thickly, deep in Kaiba's throat, accompanied with a happy moan and a dazzling smile.

Pulling back, he dragged his still pulsing dick and a bit of his semen over his lovers tongue.  
Yami enjoyed that kind of thorough marking.

Seto on the other hand was still desperately trying to control his gag reflex. The cum in his throat and Yami hitting the back of it while pulling out didn't really make this easier.

He wanted to drop into the blissful haze he normally felt when he pleasured his Pharaoh.

But he also didn't want to puke on his bed. Or lover, for that matter.

So, he refused to allow himself to drift off, even though it was hard.

Yami watched him intently, still a bit dizzy, but perceptive.  
“How are you, baby boy? Having fun down there? You've been such a good boy.”

As he spoke the words, he realised that he was still sitting in his lovers chest, probably restricting his ability to breath.

He shifted his legs off of Seto’s torso, placing them left and right from him, and leaned down to kiss the swollen lips.

Seto hungrily hummed into the kiss. His mouth hurt, and his head was spinning slightly from breathing in too much oxygen once his airway was free.  
But he was oh, so happy.

Yami had complimented him. Even though he struggled, he had done well. His majesty was pleased.

He was so focused on the praise, he almost forgot about the question. It came back to him once Yami had planted himself on his chest again, a casual reminder who was the boss.

“I… I'm good Pharaoh, thank you. Yes, I enjoy myself. I love pleasing you.”  
He hoped Yami would like the answer. Because it was true. He had enjoyed himself, even without an orgasm.  
He had pleased his partner.

Yami himself felt grateful. Somewhat.  
The Pharaoh grabbed behind himself, delighted to find his partner rock hard.

“Such an eager boy, look at you.”  
He leaned down and kissed him carefully, trying his best not to offer too much stimulation with his mouth, while his hand went to work.

It wasn't feeling as pleasant as he had hoped, because his palm was dry and there was no lube near after Seto had put it away earlier, so after another quick, hard tuck, he had Seto turn around.

Yami started at the nape of his neck and slowly kissed his way down Seto's body, carefully sucking on each bump of his spine.

Biting into the thin flesh over the tailbone, Yami started to spread his cheeks carefully, until he managed to get his face in between.

He gave his hole a solid, rough lick, feeling Seto squirm beneath him at the unknown sensation.

Then, he rolled his tongue up, guiding it carefully over the clenching entrance.

“Relax baby. You know the drill.”

Kaiba actually softened, letting loose so his Pharaoh could have unhindered access to him. That's what he wanted after all.

Yami carefully tongued the ring of tight muscles open, before he thoroughly licked his finger and carefully inserted it.

Even though Kaiba had experience with butt plugs and anal toys by now, his excitement was highly visible.

He tried to push himself down on the finger, eager and hungry for touch.

But Yami had anticipated his recklessness and moved with him.

“Stop this or you're going to get hurt.”

Kaiba grinned into his cushion.  
“I don't mind that. I want you inside me.”

Grinning back, Yami replied:  
“Who said you'd get me inside of you?”

Whipping his head around, Kaiba struggled to suppress a commentary about Yami already being inside him. If he wanted that dick, he'd better shut up.

From between his legs, he received a wide grin. Yami wasn't fucking around today, was he?

The dom prepared him thoroughly, as well as it was possible without lube. Sure, there was some in the nightstand, but he just didn't feel like letting go of his lover.

When he was three fingers and 20 minutes in, Kaiba was writhing on the bed, moaning and whimpering, begging to be fucked.  
Good.

Yami twisted his hand to hit the prostate a few times, watching his partner come undone, before he pulled his hand away and got up, crossing the room to get to their chest with toys.

With great effort, Seto lifted his head from the bed. “Where… Where are you going?”

But Yami didn't answer. Instead he climbed back, a small toy in his hands.

He popped it into his mouth, and thoroughly licked it, letting his saliva drip down messily, all the while holding his lovers gaze.

Without much more of a ceremony, he inserted the butt plug, and gave Seto's ass a harsh slap for good measure.

The latter one groaned around the sensations, but was obviously displeased. This was not what he had in mind when he thought about wanting to be filled.

But Yami joyfully continued to knead his ass, making no move to extract the plug and place himself between his cheeks.  
Damn. Why was this morning such an unfulfilling experience?

Instead, the Pharaoh lovingly sucked a dark bruise into the plump flesh of his ass cheek, before he slapped it yet again.

Kaiba tensed around the plug upon impact, and whined slightly.

Meanwhile, Yami climbed up along his back, placing himself on Seto's tailbone. He leaned forward, and started to litter tiny kisses on his lovers back.  
His whisper was so throaty, Kaiba almost didn't hear it.  
“I'm going to fuck you so very hard tonight…”

His whole body reacted.

The hair on his neck stood up, goosebumps rippled all over his body, a slight shiver tickled pleasantly along his spine and all his arousal pooled into his belly.

Seto felt his toes curl with anticipation until…  
“Tonight?”  
His voice was squeaky with excitement, but broken in disbelief.

Behind him, Yami laughed happily to himself.  
“Yes.”

The hot ball of pleasure in his stomach turned searing, making him clench his insides, clench around the plug - that substituted what he really wanted - and clenched his heart.  
“Why?”

It was more of a whimper by now, barely something to be called a word.

Yami kissed the nape of his neck and purred.  
“Because you are mine. And I get to decide, when I do what I do.  
I get to decide when you get off, I get to decide what is stuffed inside you, and I get to decide how long you will have to wait for whatever I deem fit. You have been such a good boy. Don’t ruin it by being impatient.”

Kaiba felt himself become impossibly more tense.  
Was Yami insinuating he couldn’t be patient?  
Because he would be right!

He had woken up with a hard dick pressed to him, and from there, things only turned steamier.  
How the fuck was he supposed to be patient now?

Another kiss to his neck.  
“So?”

He felt himself crumble into a tiny ball of despair.  
Almost stuttering with distress, he murmured a very displeased:  
“Yes, your Majesty.”

Kaiba himself had no idea how he had managed to pull that off without sounding sarcastic.

\----------------

“You know, so if they wouldn’t have started to build that team… They wouldn’t have needed it.”

Kaiba rolled his eyes.  
Yami had forced him not only to keep the plug in, but also to watch a movie with Mokuba.

He was itching.  
After almost two hours of this plot-mess of a movie, he felt uncomfortable around the anal toy. He wanted it out.  
Best case scenario: Yami would fuck him.  
Worst case scenario: He’d get to wear it some more, his body silently screaming at him around the semi-welcome intrusion.

“Yeah okay, the plot was shit, but the aesthetics…”  
Oh great, his Pharaoh wanted to participate in the ridiculous discussion.

“It was a movie. That’s it. Nice to look at, some good characters, some good actors, one hell of a soundtrack, but… I’d rather not discuss it further.”

Mokuba grinned at him.  
“Should I leave the wing? Or the house?”

Yami grinned back, but said nothing.  
Mokuba immediately got up, gathered his belongings, took the trash they had accumulated by eating a huge amount of snacks, and left the room.

Seto was left with his dom in the big movie theatre, at the middle of the day, a stompy, horny mess.

Without a second thought, he turned to Yami.  
“Take it out.”

“I’m sorry?”

“The plug. Take it out.”

“Oh and here I was, thinking you had said something.”

“I’m not joking. It’s uncomfortable. My body is aching. Take. It. Out.”

Yami blinked at him, slowly.  
“Are you asking me this as your boyfriend or your dom?”

“Is there a difference?”

“EXACTLY. Now try again with the proper form of address, you stupid little bitch.”

Kaiba felt a dangerous mixture of arousal and affront curl in his stomach.  
“Wha- no! I want it out, now, and I’m not going to beg for it! It’s uncomfortable. I’ve been a good boy! Did everything you asked of me. Why do I have to wear the stupid thing? That’s a ridiculous decision, really! Take it out, I’m not asking again.”

\---------------------

“Please, please, oh god please Pharaoh, please take it out, I beg you, please!”  
Kaiba was kneeling at Yami’s feet now.

“Please take it out, it hurts so much. It’s really uncomfortable! Please your Majesty. I promise I’ll be a good boy! I promise I won’t forget the title again. I promise I won’t try to demand an orgasm ever again. But please let me take it out!”

“Nope.”

“PHARAOH please! I’ll be a good boy!”

“You said you already were a good boy?”

“I was wrong! Wrong, and you were right, like always, your Majesty. Pretty please let me take it out!”  
The spit around the plug had dried, or had vanished into the skin.  
He was left with an uncomfortable stretch and an aching asshole.

He had learned his lesson.  
“I know I don’t have the right or claim to an orgasm, Pharaoh! I know that now, and I’m sorry!”

Was he, though? Yami couldn’t be sure.

“Please Pharaoh. It hurts! Please. Take it out!”

“Oh, my sweet poor baby boy. Why don’t we ease the pain then? I’ll take the plug out and replace it with my dick? And you get to ride me for a bit, would you like that?”

Kaiba’s pupils immediately blew wide, his eyes growing dark and his mouth opening slightly.  
“Yes, your Majesty.”

Yami laughed.  
“So a cute little plug is too much but my cock will fit in there? Nice try.”  
And with that, he slapped the sub’s rear and got up.

\--------------------------

“Hey Pharaoh.”

Mokuba walked into the living room, where Yami was sitting, sorting through contracts and business orders.

“Hey buddy, what’s up?”

“Are Seto and you fighting?”

Yami furrowed his brows.  
“Why would we?”

Letting himself fall on the comfortable couch, he moved closer to his new friend.  
“He’s been stressed all day. During the film, he wasn’t in his best mood, but I thought, who knew. Now that he’s working, though, it’s getting progressively worse. I don’t know what’s up with him, but I thought you might have an answer?”

The Pharaoh grinned to himself.  
He had an idea.  
“Well… Let’s just say he hasn’t been as much of a good boy as he liked to think.”

“So you are involved!”  
Mokuba didn’t sound accusing, as one would expect.  
His voice was filled with wonder and adoration.  
To him, it was still a miracle, that his brother served under anyone's command.

“What did he do?”

“Something he shouldn’t have done.”

“You can tell me! I promise I won’t tell anyone. I promise I won’t even tell Seto!”

“Maybe you should tell Seto, he doesn’t seem to understand it on his own.”

“Has he done something naughty?”

“I’m not going to discuss this with you, you are underage!”

“Pharaoh… My birthday is in a week. I’m almost 16. And we both know, that Seto lost his virginity after me. So please. I just want to know what’s up!”

Yami grinned at Mokuba.  
What he said was true.

The younger Kaiba was the opposite of his big brother.  
Open, highly socialised, connected, and extremely liberal.  
As the head of a giant company’s social media department, he had to be aware of trends and proper behaviour.

Luckily, he was also an ally for almost everyone and in all the things that mattered. He had just accepted his brother’s interests, his dom, all the ridiculousness that had come into his life with Yami.  
And somehow, Yami and him had become very good friends.

“What did he do?”

“He thought he could provoke me into having sex with him by acting like he’d care about me while not-so-discreetly pushing me into a certain direction. And when I say “not-so-discreetly”, I mean he gave me a massage and rubbed his erection all over my back. You wanted to know.”

“Ok. But… Now I know why you are pissed. What’s up with him, though?”

“I’ve had him wear an anal plug since this morning.”

“And?”

“And the one I chose tends to hurt after a few hours.”

“Ooooooooh.”

\-------------------------------

“Okay baby. Will you promise me, to be a good boy, and not try to manipulate me into anything again?”

“Yes, Pharaoh.”

“Do you further promise to just ask if there’s something you need?”

“Yes, Pharaoh.”

“Do you promise to accept your punishments without a discussion, considering them the blessings of my attention that they are?”

“Yes, Pharaoh.”

“Then you might get rid of the plug if it hurts you.”

“Thanks, Pharaoh.”  
Kaiba’s breath was quick, he felt stressed and relaxed at the same time.  
Yami had sat him down, after they had spent the afternoon with Mokuba.

“Remind me again, what are we going to do now?”  
His Pharaoh had been a bit cranky since the morning, and he had given Kaiba all day to understand that.  
Now, he was testing him.

“I’m going to pack my overnight bag.”

“Yes.”

“Then, we are heading to your flat.”

“Yes.”

“Because we will cook dinner with Yugi.”

“Yes.”

“And I will sleep with you, because it’s closer to Kaiba Corp.”

“No.”

“I will sleep at yours because it’s closer to Kaiba Corp.”

“Yes.”

\--------------------------

Yami’s keys dangeled, when he turned them in the lock.  
His keychain was heavily hung, not only with the many keys from the mansion and the club, but also with tiny figurines.

There was one for each of his colleagues and friends, tiny symbols for their joined interests, resulting in a ridiculously big key ring.

Since some weeks, a tiny Seto Kaiba figure hang there, too.  
Even though they had been dating for a while now, Kaiba had somehow never been in Yami’s appartement.

But tonight, things would change.

The dom pushed the door open, revealing a spacious flat.  
His apartment was on the first floor of a small complex, white facade with many, large windows and a beautiful balcony on each floor.

On the left side of the building was a staircase, connecting the floors with each other. Yugi lived directly above him.

Entering the flat, they walked into a warm hallway, shaped like a mirrored L. There were three doors, one to the far left, one on the left a bit down the hallway, and one to the right.

Kaiba took in the new information, greedily storing it in his giant brain.  
He would use every information he could get about his boyfriend.

The room had a wooden floor and light walls.  
Surprising, he had expected something darker, even though he had no idea, why.

Next to the door on the far left, there was a space to place shoes, that overwhelmed Kaiba a bit because damn Yami had many shoes.  
“You always like to be dramatic, don’t you?”

“Half of them only shine so nicely because I had people lick them clean, so don’t be sassy with me, dear.”

That shut him up quickly.  
Down the hallway was a wardrobe to hang his jacket, which he did, because he really wanted to avoid more discomfort.

“Do you want a tour?”  
Yami smiled brightly.

“I’d love that, Pharaoh.”

“Follow me.”

It was as always, as it was supposed to be.  
Yami led, Kaiba followed.

They started with the door to the far left.  
“Okay. So.. this is the master bathroom.”

Kaiba snorted.  
Yami slowly started to turn around and he almost felt bad, getting ready to be punished, but his dom only grinned.

“I never realised this.”

“Good thing I’m here, then.”

“Indeed.”

The room wasn’t exactly spacious, but it didn’t need to be.  
There was a very big sink with a beautiful cabinet beneath directly opposite the door, adorned with a mirror big enough to fit Yami in.

Around the right corner, there was the toilet, a cupboard, and a ridiculously big tub, that yelled ‘I love fucking in water’.

The whole room was held in black and white, opposite the tub was a floorlength window Yami didn’t seem to mind, because it had no curtain.

“Hey, your majesty… I know you love showing off, but this?”

“It has blinds on the outside.”

“Oh.”

Yami giggled, and somehow, Kaiba had the feeling, that he still didn’t like to use them.

He also saw tiny details. Little candles on the side of the tub, tasteful paintings of ink blots and flowers. He would have liked to read every single bottle in the room to find out, which products his lover used, but Yami had other plans, so he had to run after his Pharaoh.

\-------------------------

They stepped back into the hallway, and walked up to the coat rack. There were doors left and right.  
“Which one would you like?”

“Which is the more efficient route?”

“The left one.”

“Then you know my answer.”

Yami grinned at Seto’s predictability.  
He led the way into the next room, his study.

It was shaped like a smaller L, this time rotated.  
Kaiba realised, that all three rooms he had seen now would form one square, if he looked at it from above. Why would his brain supply him this kind of information, but when he was trying to find something to say to please Yami, it was blank?

In front of him stood a big bookcase, filled with hundreds of books.  
Just like at home.

There was a window and a plant to the right, and around the corner, he saw a workstation with a desk, a chair, pinboards, a telephone and ridiciously neatly stacked files.  
Just like at home.

When he spun around, however, he realised, that the big cupboard to the left from the door wasn’t actually a cupboard. It was a terrarium.

“WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS!”  
Kaiba pointed to the glass cage almost accusingly.

“I wondered, when you would notice.”

“This doesn’t answer my question!”

Yami grinned.  
“This is my pet snake.”

“Why THE FUCK would you have a pet snake?”

“Because I adopted her long ago. They grow old, you know? And they never truly stop growing. It just gets slower.”

Kaiba stared incredulously at the terrarium.  
“How big is it?”

“SHE is around 2 meters now. That’s almost 7 feet of pure, beautiful, sexy muscle.”

“Did you just call it sexy?”

“You haven’t seen HER yet. Her name is Severus Snake.”

“You named your female snake after a male, assholey fantasy teacher just for a pun? Why would- you know what, forget it.”

He had learned in the past, that Yami was no big fan of being questioned.

But too late.  
“Why, aren’t snakes allowed to have gender-non-stereotypical names? And should we assume her gender just because I know her sex? Do you even know how difficult it is to determine a snake’s sex? For all I know, she could be a him!”

Kaiba just stared at him.  
“Doesn’t this mean you potentially misgendered it, too?”

“IT’S A SHE! AND -”

“And you get to decide that if you are not sure? Why? Does it have long lashes, like in those dumb comics? Because only women can have long lashes, right Yami?”

“I never said she had -”

“You shouldn’t force your binary gender system on that reptile, my beautiful gender-nonconforming lover.”  
Kaiba stared at him, challenging.

Yami stared back for a while, before he whispered:  
“Their name is Severus Snake…”

Kaiba considered this the biggest win he had ever managed.

\---------------------

They walked through a door in the right wall of the study, directly into Yami’s bedroom.

“This is where the magic happens?”

“Depends on what kind of magic you mean. But… the answer is probably yes in almost any case.”

The room was completely different from what Seto had expected.  
It had a warm, wooden floor, warm curtains, warm sheets, warm furniture… It looked much more like a pillow fort than a dominus bedroom.

Yami noticed his surprise.  
“What, did you expect I furnished everything black?”

“Kinda.”  
He was too arrogant to admit, that he felt dumb now.  
Kaiba was still staring at the soft wall lights, the potted plants, the gentle colours. It all fit so well with Yami, and it didn’t fit at all.  
He was impressed.

“Oh come on, darling, don’t be disappointed. This is still kinky as fuck. You just don’t know what to look for. See? My bed frame is high enough to force someone underneath. It also has those lovely metal bars you can perfectly bind people to. And if you actually sit on the bed…” - he walked over and dragged Seto with him - “.. you can see my big ass beautiful mirror over there because I like to watch myself fuck my partners.”

“Partners? Plural?”  
His voice was slightly choked up, eyes narrowed, face graced with a frown.

Yami saw this, and immediately recoiled.  
“In the past. Yes. Not at once, I’ve never been interested in orgies, although I had a few threesomes but - I digress...”

Somehow, Kaiba had managed to squint his eyes even more, without closing them so he could still glare.

“... What? You knew I was far from being a virgin… but what I ACTUALLY wanted to tell you is, that yes, I’ve had multiple partners in the past, and only rarely at the same time, I swear from now on I will only have one other person in my bed, and that’s you. Okay, and maybe Yugi if he has another nightmare, but this almost never happens anymore and- ”

“No.”

“No? You can’t be serious Seto, I just told you it almost never happens but when it does, they are cruel and-”

“No.-”

Yami stared at him, open mouthed.  
“You can’t really expect me to send away my brother in the middle of a night when he-”

“NO. And if you’d listen to me for once, you would understand. You will bed no one in this bed anymore. Not me, not Yugi, and certainly not your royal ass, sorry your majesty, but… no. This thing will be burned to the ground, and I will buy you a new bed, hell, a new EVERYTHING of where anyone ever touched you or where you touched anyone. I don’t mind Yugi. I don’t even mind…” - he shivered slightly - “Harpy. But that’s it.”

Yami stared at him for quite a while.  
“Those are some seriously bold demands.”

“Those are offers. I offer you to buy you completely new furniture, even in your own style, whatever you want, but I will NOT sleep in this bed.”

“Where are you going to sleep tonight then?”

“The sofa.”

“Oh my sweet summer child.”  
He laughed heartily.  
“If you think you are safe from touchy-feely-spaces by avoiding the bed and the bed alone… You are adorable. I’m afraid you will have to sleep on the balco- oh no scrap that.”  
Yami had not even the decency to look embarrassed at this.

“Slut.”

“Virgin.”

“Fuck you.”

“No thanks I got others for that.”

\-------------------

“And this is the smaller bathroom.”  
Yami guided his partner through the second of three doors in his bedroom.  
“It’s small, but you got everything. A toilet, a shower, a sink, two floor length windows on either wall…”

“I’m not sure the floor length windows are necessary.”

“I am.”

“You’re nasty.”

“You love me.”

“That might be true, but uncorrelated.”

“Keep telling that to yourself.”

\----------------

Through the third bedroom door, they walked into the giant kitchen.  
Kaiba noted, that Yami’s home was built as a round, the rooms accessible without even walking into the hallway. Maybe his lover just enjoyed to cook something and head straight to bed to devour it.

Shit, now he was feeling that disgusting nausea again.  
Why couldn’t he even hold his thoughts together?

The kitchen had a grey stone floor, even here, all furniture was black and white, but many plants and tiny spots of warm colour lightened up the atmosphere.

The wall to the left was completely covered with cupboards, on the floor and mounted ones. The lower ones even continued around the corner, where a dishwasher, a stove and a fridge were placed. Next to that, of course, a floor length window.

The middle of the room was dominated by a beautiful kitchen island, where he found a bowl of fresh fruit.  
At least Yami wasn’t hypocritical about the importance of eating healthy.

In front of the window was a large plant rag, filled with fresh herbs growing in small pots. On the opposite wall stood a counter with delicate stools.

Almost all of the right wall was a giant wooden archway into the living room. It was gorgeous.

“Why exactly have we constantly been at the mansion?”

“Because you are disgusted with my furniture?”

“Fair.”

\-----------------------

They walked through the archway.  
Immediately to the right was a door.

“That’s how you get into the hallway?”

“Yup.”

“Your home is a circle, isn’t it?”

“Yup.”

“And there are the couches I shouldn’t touch, right?”

“They are pretty couches. Stop behaving like they will eat you. They are perfectly fine.”

“Have you had sex on them?”

“You know the answer.”

Kaiba made a point in not getting close to them.

Instead, he took his time to explore the living room. The floor was warm wood, the walls white. Everywhere were plants and flowers. On the right wall, behind the door, was a big TV mounted.

Opposite of it, centered in the room, were two couches, both placed at an angle, so you could see the TV. A small table stood in front of them, snacks placed on it.

Left from the archway was a table with 4 chairs.  
On one of them sat…

“What the FUCK is this thing?”  
“Oh. You found Yugi’s gift.”

“I don’t care where it comes from. WHAT IS THIS.”

“A hugging pillow. It’s a cultural thing. People print -”

“I know. I KNOW. I HAVE EYES. I see what it is.”

Yami tilted his head, grinning mischievously.  
“Why do you keep asking then?”

“Why is it here?”

“He is here, because Yugi wanted him to sit here when you finally come over. Trust me. It wasn’t my intention. More like.. a dare.”

Kaiba rolled his eyes.  
“I won’t start this gender discussion again. The fucking pillow is an ‘it’. And why the fuck would he dare you to do this?”

But before Kaiba could get an answer, the door opened.  
Yugi strut in with a bag full of food, a shit eating grin plastered on his face.  
“Oh nooooo! I’m too late!”

Kaiba glared at the younger Mutou brother.  
“You…-”

But Yugi only shook his head, still smirking.  
  
\----------------------

“So.... what are we making today?”  
Kaiba tried to look into Yugi’s bag of food.

“Fattoush.”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes.  
What?

Yami grinned, not saying anything, but watching his brother and his boyfriend interact silently.

“Fattoush?”  
When Yugi failed to provide an answer himself, Kaiba decided to eventually ask.

“Yep.”

By now, Yami tried his best not to snort in amusement.  
It was obvious, that he wanted an explanation, and it was obvious Yugi wouldn’t give one.

After one more minute of unpacking in silence, Kaiba still failed to make sense of the ingredients.  
He looked at Yami with pleading eyes.  
Don’t make me ask again. Just tell me.

Yami eventually had mercy with him.  
“I’ve told you. My parents were from Egypt. At least, my dad was. My mom was Japanese. But they met in Egypt and she eventually moved there to be with him.”

Kaiba had wondered, why one of the twins was naturally a bit darker skinned, now he knew that their parents had different skin colours. Not only that, they came from different parts of the world.

That explained, why they spoke both languages, Japanese and Arabic, as Kaiba had found out during the last weeks when he was on the phone with a business partner and missing a word, that Yami supplied for him flawlessly.

And something else was noticeable.  
Past tense.

They only ever spoke about their parents in past tense.  
Even Kaiba was emphatic enough not to ask, why.

“So this is Egyptian food.”  
Kaiba caught on quickly.

“Yes. We don’t cook super traditionally, but… it’s nice to have a bit of ‘home’ with you, you know?”

Kaiba nodded, but he had no idea.  
He never really had a home with traditional meals and caring parents.  
At least not since…  
He wouldn’t allow himself to go there, now.  
For once, the theme was ‘dead parents’, and he wasn’t the topic.

“I know it’s hard to notice, but Yami looks more like our dad, skin tone wise, while I take after our mom. And I know. it’s weird, because we are twins, but actually, chances are one in a million, so don’t come for us, it happened before.”

Kaiba just stared at the younger brother.  
He was glad Yugi didn’t expect a reaction because honestly, what could he say?

“Anyways. We cook together twice a month. First and third sunday. The saturday in between is reserved for girls’ night with Mai.”

Yugi nodded along to his brothers words, adding:  
“First Sunday is Egyptian food, third one is Japanese. First Sunday in Yami’s flat, third one in mine.”

“I see.”  
Finally starting to understand the concept, Kaiba smiled at his partner.  
“That’s beautiful.”

Yami smiled back, nodding happily.  
“So today, we are going to make Fattoush. It’s an Egyptian salad, made from fresh seasonal vegetables and often leftover pita bread. The dressing is a mix of lemon and sumac, that is a Middle Eastern spice with citrus flavour.”

“So you put lemon with citrus?”

“Yup.”

“Okay. Weird. But who am I to judge… What do we do now? What should I do?”

Yugi stepped in from the side, a baking tray in his hands filled with pita bread. “We are going to bake this. Around 10 minutes. Until it’s cross. You can take care of the dressing. To make sumac dressing, whisk together 2 tablespoons of Sumac, the juice from one lemon, 80 millilitres of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of water in a jug until it’s well combined. But have Yami season it with salt and pepper, he knows what it’s supposed to taste like.”

He grinned, before he put the tray into the oven.

“What are you going to do, Pharaoh?”  
Kaiba tried to spy over his shoulder, interested in a new experience. He rarely cooked.

“I’ll put the lettuce on a plate, add tomatoes, mint, parsley, cucumbers and spring onions. On top goes the crisp bread. Then, we will put the dressing on. We should let it sit for 10 minutes after, but… we won’t, because we are hungry little shits.”  
Yami smiled and kissed Seto’s cheek.

“And that’s it?”

“That’s it.”

“No meat?”

Both twins answered at the same time.

Yami told him, that eating meat wasn’t as common in Egypt, and that pork for example was not eaten at all, because it was against religious traditions.

Yugi asked him, if he hadn’t gotten enough meat at home and elbowed his brother.

\------------------------------

“Did you like the grape wine leaves? Some people eat them cold, but in Egypt, we eat them warm. They are smaller than in other countries and we fill them with rice and cardamom-spiced beef.”

“I know, Pharaoh. I just ate some.”

“Yes but did you like them?”

“Meh.”  
Kaiba shrugged.  
“It’s… leaves. With rice. Like a disgusting version of sushi.”

“DON’T YOU DARE CALL OUR TRADITIONAL FOOD DISGUSTING SUSHI YOU UNCULTURED-”

“Yugi sit down!”  
Slowly breathing out through his nose, Yami tried to get the situation under control. He had wanted to show his boyfriend a bit of what he felt was a part of him. And Seto tried. But he wasn’t exactly… sensible with his judgement. And Yugi might have been a bit too emotional. It was nerve wracking.

“I have not been standing in the kitchen for almost 3 hours for your asshole pet to call national specialities ‘disgusting’!”

Sneering, Kaiba decided to answer.  
“You know, just because something took a long time and a lot of effort, doesn’t mean it’s good.”

“Just like your relationship with my brother?”  
Yugi quirked an eyebrow and grinned cheekily, but Kaiba only scoffed.

“And where exactly is your fully functional relationship right now?”

Squinting his eyes, Yugi suddenly found the napkin very interesting.  
“In the studio. Working.”

Oh.  
Kaiba realised, what that meant.  
Anzu was with another person right now, maybe at least somewhat intimate. It didn’t take a psychic to understand, why Yugi wasn’t exactly happy with this. Kaiba struggled with the thought of sharing Yami with other Subs, too.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean it. I bet she’s thinking of you.”

Yugi gave him a soft smile.  
“I hope she isn’t. I don’t want her to associate me with… that. But I know you meant it nicely. Thank you.”

“What even does ‘that’ mean?” Yami inquired.  
He was genuinely interested. The Pharaoh would have liked to participate more in the conversation, but he was busy running back and forth between the kitchen and the dining area.

Sure, he could have gotten Kaiba to do that, but today, he was a guest.  
Yami wanted him to experience their culture, at least a bit. That included hospitality. It also included music the CEO barely tolerated, but kept quiet about nonetheless and Yami was glad about it.

It was nothing he listened to on a regular basis, but at least once a month, it was pleasant to remember his roots.

He placed the Fattoush in the middle of the table, and sat back down next to Seto, casually placing his hand in his lover’s lap.  
“Go ahead. Try it. We even let it sit the appropriate time.”

Kaiba smiled warmly at his dom, grabbing first his hand and then the food. It was good, but unusual to him. Although, he guessed, that was the whole point of a cultural exchange. Moreover, he had to admit to himself, that even the street food from small vendors would be unusual to him.

When Yugi flat out refused to answer his brother, they ate in silence for a while.

“Oh. By the way Pharaoh, someone was too dumb to put the mail away correctly. AGAIN. I put it on the kitchen counter, with your tea pot, okay?”

Yami nodded.  
“Thank you.”

For dessert, he brought something over, that apparently was called Kunafa. Yugi and him had prepared it the day before. It had a cake like texture, but was apparently a mix of crunchy and soft.

“Okay, your Majesty. Please educate me.”

Yami looked at his partner, as if he was a loveable, eager student.  
“This is a popular dessert around the Arabian world. It can be found in Egypt, the Levant, Palestine and Turkey.”

Kaiba nodded.  
“Okay, but what is this?”

“It’s kind of… a stuffed cake. Each country uses different stuffings. In Egypt, cream is usually used, whereas the Levant uses cheese. They call that Kunafa Nabulsi. It’s a famous Ramadan dessert and it changed a lot over the years. You can find mango, chocolate and even cheesecake fillings today.”  
  
“Thanks Google. How long did you practise this?”  
Yugi offered him a cheeky grin alongside the provocative questions.

“Some of us don’t have to practise reports on their own culture, you know? Who’s the uncultured swine now? Mmhm?”  
Yami grinned back just as much.

\-------------------------

“Get up.”

“No.”

“Get up.”

“Is this an order?”

“No it’s-”  
“Then no.”

“KAIBA.”

“PHARAOH.”  
The CEO lifted his head grumpily. He didn’t like for Yami to call him with his last name. And he especially didn’t like the angry sound of it. But there was just NO WAY he would climb into that bed.

“You can’t sleep on the floor.”

“Yes I can. If I can’t sleep on that thing and if the sofa is soiled as well, I WILL sleep on the ground.”

Yami rolled his eyes. He knew his boyfriend was stubborn, but it was starting to get ridiculous.  
“Those sheets are fresh. I will change them right here right now, if you want me to.”

“It’s not about the sheets!”

“What is it, then?”

“The bed.”  
Seto sat on the floor, sulking.  
He was well aware, that he would have to get his hands on those blankets if he didn’t want to sleep on the wooden floor.

“But honey… You know, that a lot more weird stuff has happened in the studio bed, right? And you had been fine with that? It’s not like you didn’t… contribute to it, as well.”

Seto rolled his eyes.  
“You don’t understand, this is not about other people’s cum.”

“But…  
…  
…  
mine?”

“YES.”

“BUT YOU SLEEP IN YOUR OWN BED, TOO…”

“YES BUT NO ONE ELSE TOUCHED YOU IN THERE!”

Silence.  
For some seconds, Yami just stared at his boyfriend.  
“That’s the issue?”

“Yes.”

“You are angry, because other people touched me in my bed?

“I’m not angry. I’m jealous. I know I have to accept, that you make other people happy, but I don’t want other people to make YOU happy.”

“That’s pretty egoistic.”

Kaiba rolled his eyes, now thoroughly annoyed.  
“You know what I mean.”

“You don’t want other people to make me cum.”

“Yes.”

That made Yami chuckle lightly.Until he realised, that he felt the same.  
He wasn’t too fond of the idea of other people touching his lover, either.  
But there were no spaces Seto had been touched before.  
Yami was so desensitised to the concept of virginity, that he had never even thought about Seto being bothered by it.

Of course there had been people before.  
Of course they had been in his bed.  
His couch.  
His kitchen.  
His shower.  
His bathtub.  
His balcony.

Of course there were traces of past lives where he lived now.  
Except, for Seto it wasn’t like that.  
For him, Yami was the first. For everything.

The dom suddenly felt much more sympathy.

“Hey… Hey… I… I understand. Okay?”  
He held his hand out of the bed as if to greet a scared animal.

Despite himself, Seto crawled forward and nuzzled into it.  
He could never resist his lover’s touch.

“If it really bothers you, I can get new furniture, okay? A new bed and sofa? How does that sound?”

The sub leaned further into the touch, cuddling the hand that was offered.

Yami smiled at his lover. He had a soft spot for Seto when he was like that. Leaning down, he cupped his hands around his partner’s face, and whispered to him with a deep, reassuring voice.

“Hey baby boy. It’s okay. I understand now. It’s okay. But can you do me a favour? Can you do something for me?”

When the other man lifted his gaze, his eyes were glossed over, dark and hazy. It got easier and easier for Seto to slip into his headspace these days. By now, all it took were some few words spoken in a specific tone, and he lost all resistance.

“Yes, Pharaoh.”

“Come here. Sleep in this bed. With me. You might not have been the first, but you will be the last. Tomorrow, we will buy a new bed, okay?  
But for tonight, I want you here with me. Reclaim it. Make it yours. This bed and every bed in my future. Show me, that it will always only ever be your beds from now on, no one despite us, ever again.”

When he had started to speak, his initial plan was, to lure Seto to bed.  
But the longer Yami thought about it, the more he desired the things he was talking about.  
“Please, love.”

Seto perked up.  
He hadn’t heard that word very often from his dom.  
This meant something to him.

“Yes, Pharaoh.”  
Like an obedient puppy, he climbed up and buried himself in the blankets next to his master.  
“Like this, your Majesty?”

“Perfect, love.”  
Yami kissed his head, and wrapped himself around his lover.  
“Let’s talk about earlier. You and that plug. How are you feeling?”

Seto huffed in his arms, curling into the smaller frame of his partner like a rabbit seeking shelter from the rain under the hood of a mushroom.  
It looked ridiculous. It felt ridiculous.  
But it gave him peace.

“Seto?”

The sub nuzzled into his lover’s chest, kissing Yami’ instead of an answer.

“Seto.”  
This time, it was not a question.

“Shush, your Majesty. I’m sleeping…”  
He knew, that this was risky, but the Pharaoh seemed to be at least somewhat soft right now.

Yami smiled to himself, wrapping both of his arms around the broad shoulders.  
“Are you sure? You’ve been running around all day semi-hard with a plug stuffed up your ass, and now you got me in a comfortable bed with a big mirror and soft blankets… are you sure, you are sleeping?”  
His voice was a soft, deep purr.

Seto leaned himself up on one elbow, looking for his partner’s gaze.  
“Yes I’m sure, your Majesty, at least if you allow that.”

He sounded tired, and only now did Yami notice the small eyes he barely held open.

Resting his head back on his dom’s chest, Seto continued.  
“Today has been a very long day, and somewhat frustrating, to be honest. I have to get up early tomorrow, I’m stuffed with amazing food, and I still don’t like your bed. I just want to snuggle with you and rest, if my Pharaoh allows.”

Yami felt dumbfounded.  
“If I allow?”

“Yes, your Majesty… I know I have to serve you…”

Now it was Yami’s turn to lean up, cupping Seto’s face and lifting it, so they saw eye to eye.

“If you ever don’t feel like having sex, being intimate, even being touched or being kissed, all you have to do is tell me. No justification, Seto. No matter if it’s in a scene or not. If you are uncomfortable, even in the slightest, at ANY point, we will immediately stop. You got the traffic light system and your safeword in a scene for that, but this is a rule EVERYWHERE. Just tell me no. You are a sub, not a slave. And even a slave, I wouldn’t touch against their will. You know what that is? Rape. Don’t EVER force yourself, okay my love? Promise me that.”

Seto frowned, searching in the eyes of his lover for a sign of deceit and found none.  
“But… It’s my task to serve you…”

That alone almost broke Yami’s heart.  
“Yes my love, and you are doing such a good job. But you are not my whore. You are my partner. My release will never be more important to me, than you feeling safe with me.”

Staring at him for a second, Seto opened his mouth, just to close it again. He gave his lover a tight nod, and buried himself back in Yami’s chest.  
“Thank you, Pharaoh.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

\---------------------

The dawn was neither soft nor serene.  
Instead, it was ripped apart by a loud, uncomfortable noise.

“UUUUUUURGHHHH”  
Yami rolled over, snatching Seto’s pillow away so he could hide his head underneath it.

The latter one only grinned and turned his alarm off.  
He was used to this by now.  
And even though it was much harder to get out of bed with Yami in there, he knew he should be thankful for having the Pharaoh at all.

“Do you want me to go and do my sport task in the living room so you can continue to sleep?”

Yami moved the pillow out of his face to gift Seto a haughty grin.  
“How about you come back here and practise in bed?”

“Oh sure, Pharaoh. Should I combine that with my daily 10 minutes on my knees to contemplate how to be a better sub?”  
Seto grinned back. They both knew, that it was just a joke. Either one took this routine very seriously.

\----------------------

Yami scurried around the kitchen, packing little food boxes for Seto, so he could take them to work. His chef delivered them for lunch, but Yami wanted to make sure he had something heartfelt until then, anyway.

He put the bento box away on the counter, where he suddenly found the letter from Yugi. Someone had apparently thrown it into the wrong mailbox. It felt weird though, no name or address was to be found on the envelope. It felt light, there could only be paper in there.

“Why the frown, your Majesty?”  
Kaiba strut into the kitchen, pulling his socks up.  
He was fresh out of the shower and smelled like shampoo, that cost as much as a full meal with beverages in most restaurants.

“It’s nothing… I got a weird letter, that’s all…”

Frowning, Kaiba took the letter, and checked it thoroughly.  
“Apparently not a bomb or something, but I would still be careful…”  
Concern washed over his normally well composed features.

Yami took it and ripped it open before he could worry too much.  
Inside, he found a letter with neat, dark, handwritten words.

He frowned, remembering the unpleasant encounter only three days ago at the art exhibition. He hadn’t expected to hear from the man ever again. Tucking the letter away, he mumbled:  
“I’m sure this is nothing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooohhh. Things are getting intense! :3
> 
> As always we appreciate and love any feedback from all of you lovely people. 
> 
> See you next time!  
> <3
> 
> \------
> 
> Also, if you aren't done with Todrick Hall themed fan content and want to check out a cute high school AU, we can recommend our new story "the Wizard of Oz!" To you! Please check it out <3


	17. They say that love is for fools it’s a dangerous game

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to Taedae. Thank you for your constant love, support and help!! We love you so much!!!  
> <3

“Are you sure you’re fine? I can stay home from work if you’d prefer?”

“I’m fine. It’s nothing - just spam. Now go to work.”

“But-”

“Do I have to order you?”

“No, Pharaoh.”

“Good boy. Have a good day. I’ll see you later, baby.”

“See you later. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

\-------------------

The mysterious letter was lying on the kitchen counter, where Yami had dragged it out of his pocket the moment he knew Seto was safely on his way to work. Yami stared at it.

The object itself was non-threatening. It was plain, but expensive writing paper. Light to the touch. The words etched into the surface of the paper were written in black, neat cursive handwriting. Clearly done with an expensive fountain pen. Of course, the person who wrote it knew that details were everything. It had to be the best or it was not worth it. Yami had admired this trait. At least, he had until it got dangerous.

Yami could feel his nerves heighten the longer he stared at the innocent letter. It was like an itch under his skin, but he couldn’t scratch it. His palms were starting to sweat and his heartbeat had increased. He felt sick to his stomach, wondering what the person could want after all of these years.

How did he even find him?

Yami could feel the pressure of his phone in his pocket. He thought of calling Mai but quickly scrapped that idea. She couldn’t help him. Then he thought of calling Yugi. But he didn’t want to worry him. The police were out of the question. They would be no help at all.

He was all alone.

Bracing himself, Yami grabbed the letter. His anxiety would only rise the longer he left it alone. After all, with Seto in the room, he’d only been able to glance at the signature at the bottom.

Hello again, Yami.

Or should I call you Pharaoh now? That’s what everyone else seems to be calling you. I’m impressed your plans to incorporate your Egyptian history into your work did turn out well. I must admit, I’m shocked. I told you plenty of times how it wouldn’t work. Yet here you are, Pharaoh.

Here’s the thing with getting too close to Egyptian history - it’s dangerous. You know all about the curses. The deaths. The tragedies. You know better than most, yet here you are playing Pharaoh. Why should you be any different? What makes you think that you can avoid the same fate?

Destiny brought me back into your life. You looked so pretty prancing around on your latest toy’s arm. Tell me, Pharaoh, how much does he pay you to kiss him? You can’t honestly be infatuated with that useless waste of space!

No matter. It is clearly my destiny to show you, that no one can avoid their fate. I’ll show you what life you could have had. A life that Seto Kaiba can’t possibly give you.

I’ll see you very soon, my Pharaoh.

Your Curator

Yami reread the letter. And then he read it again. After the his fourth read through of the letter, he placed it down on the kitchen side with shaking hands. He stared at it. The words were going around in his head on a loop.

“Hello again...Should I call you Pharaoh...I told you how it wouldn’t work...It’s dangerous…Deaths...Tragedies…Why should you be any different?...Destiny brought me back…Looked so pretty...New toy…How much does he pay…Can’t honestly be infatuated…My destiny...Fate...Life you could have had...See you very soon...My Pharaoh.”

On and on and on it went like a broken record. Yami could not stop it. The longer it went on, the worse he felt. His whole body felt cold and numb, his muscles were tense as if expecting danger to appear at any second. He could feel sweat at his hairline and there seemed to be a lump in his throat that he just couldn’t get rid of no matter how many times he swallowed. Yet, his mouth was as dry and coarse as sandpaper that he couldn’t swallow. Maybe that was why it wasn’t clearing the lump? Water. He needed water.

Clumsily, Yami grabbed a glass out of the cupboard and turned on the cold water tap. He filled it so it was half full. Or empty? Yami was no longer able to figure it out. He just wanted the water. Bringing the rim to his lips, he chugged the liquid down. Or at least, he tried to. His first sip struggled to go past the lump in his throat. On reflex he coughed it back up, his throat straining with the effort.

Why wouldn't the lump go!? Bringing his glass to his lips once more, Yami persevered, until the whole contents inside of it was gone. Taking deep breaths, he tried to calm himself, hoping the cold water would help soon.

As he stood there, hands braced against the marble counter, head lowered and eyes shut, Yami felt the sweat beginning to dry at the back of his neck and on his hands. The lump seemed to be going down and breathing seemed easier. Yami lifted his head.

And immediately regretted it.

Bringing his hand up to cover his mouth, Yami rushed to the bathroom, only just lifting the lid of the toilet up in time before he bent over it and vomited.

It seemed the water had not worked in doing anything other than making the churning in his stomach worse. As Yami felt the last of his stomach contractions ease off, he sat on the tiled floor and flushed the toilet before the stench could consume the room.

The dom rested his head on the ceramic tank of the toilet, enjoying the cold sensation on his fevered forehead. Briefly, he felt an overwhelming surge of relief that he’d decided to put his hair up in a bun that morning.

As he sat there trying to calm his body, Yami pondered over the letter and what it could mean.

Obviously it was a clear threat. Why else would the person who penned the letter mention Egyptian curses and untimely deaths and fates?

But would the person be able to act on this threat? Yami knew that they were dangerous. And powerful. But dangerous enough to kill him? Yami didn’t think so.

Even if the person had changed and was now capable of...severely hurting others, the block of flats he lived in was very secure. Except, no one but those closest to him knew where he lived.

How was this letter addressed to him?

Slightly unnerved, Yami reminded himself that there were CCTV cameras in every hall and in the lobby. The front door was also controlled by a mechanical lock, that only residents had access to. And then there was actually getting into his flat. It had two separate locks on it - one of them a chain.

His home was very secure. And so was his studio, for that matter. Anywhere else he went, he was usually surrounded by crowds of people. Then there was the times he was with Seto. No one could get him there.

Yami was safe.  
He couldn't be hurt.

Feeling calmer and more in control of the situation, Yami stood up. Pins and needles started attacking his feet and calves, as the blood started circulating in his lower limbs properly. It was only now, that he became aware of how long he’d been sat on the floor.

As Yami shook his feet to try and decrease the stabbing sensation, he grabbed his toothbrush and toothpaste. He needed to rid himself of the taste of bile, that clung to the inside of his mouth.

Reassured that no harm could befall him, Yami vowed to forget about the letter and continue with his day as planned. He would tell no one about this either.

His mind made up and a minty fresh taste in his mouth, Yami started preparing for the day ahead. He had work in two hours.

\-----------------------------------

Kaiba groaned in relief as he flopped down onto his office couch. He allowed the supple leather to embrace him as he leaned his head back, hands roughly rubbing across his face.

That was a shit meeting. he thought miserably.

They’d been discussing the progress of the new duel discs. Representatives of Industrial Illusions had been there and much to Kaiba’s relief, Pegasus was absent.

However, in hindsight, he wished the exuberant CEO had been there. At least Pegasus was aware of what they were actually doing!

Instead lawyers and, what Kaiba could only assume was a creative apprentice, had been sent in his place. It slowed the meeting down and caused much frustration for the young man.

To make matters worse, Mokuba had been elsewhere in another meeting, that Kaiba heard went swimmingly. It was very rare that the elder Kaiba felt jealousy towards the younger one. This was one such occasion.

A knock on the door sounded throughout the room.

“What?” Kaiba snapped, turning to glare at the door. He was done with people.

Aime’s head popped in.

“Sorry to disturb you sir, but I wanted to see if you needed anything before I leave for the night?”

Kaiba sighed. “No, thank you. Enjoy your evening.”

“Thank you, Mr Kaiba. I hope you enjoy yours too.” With that, Aime left Kaiba to his thoughts once again. Although this time, it was less miserable pondering on a rough meeting but rather exciting, comforting thoughts of being with Yami later.

They’d spoken on and off throughout the day when they had spare time. Kaiba had found himself stuck in meetings near enough all day which irked him but Yami had also had a couple of clients to contend with, as well as discussing a new potential client with Mai.

That’s what he was doing the last time he spoke to him at least, before Kaiba had to go and test his patience with a room full of idiots.

Kaiba had been glad that he was able to speak to Yami at multiple intervals. When he’d left his dom that morning, he’d been worried. Yami hadn’t seemed himself after opening the mystery letter and it kept playing on Kaiba’s mind, despite Yami’s best attempts at reassuring him.

After all, people who received spam mail didn’t go pale upon glancing at it. Nor did their eyes go wide in blatant fear. Yami was hiding something, that much Kaiba knew.

However, he also knew it was wrong to pry. It was not his place as Yami’s sub, but also as a respectful boyfriend. Clearly Yami didn’t want him to know. So he wouldn’t say or do anything unless the Pharaoh wanted him to. Anyway, Yami seemed to be fine now. He’d sounded normal on their phone calls and he’d gotten to work fine.

Kaiba had nothing to worry about.

Just as the brunet was relaxed enough to think about moving, his phone buzzed from where he’d carelessly thrown it down onto his desk.

It kept buzzing.

It was a phone call.

Cursing under his breath at the disturbance, Kaiba pushed himself off of the couch and strode over to the vibrating phone. He picked it up and looked at the caller ID. Confusion etched across his face as he saw who was calling. He answered it.

“Yugi?” He greeted.

“Seto. Is Yami with you?” The twin sounded a bit nervous and distressed on the other line.

“No. Why?” Kaiba could feel a tiny trickle of fear crawling down his spine at Yugi’s question.

Why would he have to ask that?

“Oh. Okay. It’s just...well, I mean. Yami said that he’d pick me up from the studio...half an hour ago. We’re cooking together later. But he’s not back. So I was wondering if he was with you. But he’s not so I’m sure he’ll be with Mai. Or someone else.”

Kaiba could tell that the smaller twin was trying to reassure himself. And failing miserably. His concern was leeching onto Kaiba, but the CEO made sure to not alert Yugi of that fact.

“He told me earlier that he was going to go shopping before he picked you up. So maybe he’s just running late and his phone went flat? I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation.”

“Yeah. Maybe.” Yugi didn’t sound convinced, but then again, neither did Kaiba. The sub listened to the static of the phone connection. He could hear Yugi’s breathing down the line and the quiet tap, tap, tap of the twin’s fingers drumming against a surface.

“How about I pick you up? Leave Yami a note in case he drops by telling him we’ll meet him at your flat. Or his. Whichever one you were going to eat at.” Kaiba listened as Yugi let out a sigh of relief.

“Okay. That sounds great. Thanks, Seto. I’ll meet you soon.”

“I’ll see you in ten minutes.”

The line went dead as the call disconnected. Whatever calm and reassurance had washed over Kaiba had vanished and the small niggle telling the CEO that Yami was in danger had turned into a booming voice with a megaphone inside his mind.

Heart racing, Kaiba grabbed his keys and rushed out of his office, praying that everything would be okay. That it was just traffic holding his boyfriend up.

\-------------------------------

The sleek black Bugatti sports car raced down the road, easily turning when Kaiba nudged the steering wheel.

In the back seat, Yugi was on edge. For starters, he’d never been in such a luxurious space before. Despite Yami’s wealth, and Yugi’s own sizeable salary, the twins never wasted money. They made sure that they lived comfortably enough and they invested quite a lot in building their businesses up, and keeping them running. But that was it. A car costing millions was not what they’d deem useful. A car zooming through the streets at 80mph was also not what Yugi would consider fun.

Yet here he was.

As he curled his fingers into the upholstery, Yugi tried to calm his beating heart. He knew, that the sooner he got to Yami’s flat and saw the shit eating grin on his twin’s face, the sooner he could relax. Until he knew why Yami didn’t pick him up from the studio, he would not be able to rest.

  
A delicate touch on his clenched hand made him jump slightly. He looked down at it and noticed smaller, slender fingers gently embracing his slightly larger fist. Looking up to his left, Yugi felt himself calm slightly. Anzu was giving him a sympathetic, kind smile. Her bright blue eyes were soft and loving, almost sad, when she looked at him. But there was reassurance in them as well.

“He’ll be okay. It’s Yami after all.” She soothed, caressing his knuckles with her thumb. Yugi sighed. He relaxed his fist and turned his hand so his palm was facing upwards to entwine their fingers.

“I know...I know. It’s just not like him. You know?” He sounded defeated, resigned to his worry.

“I know. But there’ll be a good reason for it. Have faith in him, Yugi. He would never let you down.”

Feeling tears well at the corner of his eyes, Yugi just nodded, squeezing Anzu’s hand in his as a thank you. She copied the gesture. Without letting go of each other, the couple went quiet. Yugi decided to look out of his window again, as the streets of Domino city rushed past them in a blur. Anzu, however, continued to subtly stare at the back of his head.

She was concerned about Yami herself; it really wasn’t like him to break a promise without letting anyone know beforehand. Yugi couldn’t see her fear though. He needed her to help him through his own anxiety. After all, Yami was just a close friend to her, but to Yugi, he was his everything.

When no one else was there for Yugi, his brother was. And it was the same for Yami. They might have been twins, but they really were each other’s other half.

Anzu let out a tiny sigh. She was just thankful that she had forgotten her jacket at the studio, or else, Yugi would only have had Kaiba to lean on. Who was not much help, if truth was told. Anzu could tell from the way he was gripping the steering wheel and regularly checking his watch, that he was panicking. He was just more reserved about his fears than Yugi was. But it was there. She could tell.

Turning her head to stare out of her own window, Anzu bit her lower lip, worrying it between her teeth. She said a tiny prayer in the hope that the universe might answer it.

Please let Yami be okay.

\------------------

Yugi opened the front door to his building and held it open for Anzu and Kaiba to walk through. As he lead the way across the lobby towards the staircase, someone yelled out his name. Stopping and turning where he stood, foot already on the third step, he saw the building’s caretaker coming towards him.

He was carrying a familiar bag.

Yugi scrunched his eyebrows together, feeling his chest constrict painfully.

Why was he carrying that bag?

As the caretaker reached them, Yugi noticed him glance in Kaiba’s direction, surprised.

“I won’t hold you long. But Yami must have dropped this. I found it in the corner near the janitor’s closet. And I don’t know anyone else who would have a Dark Magician bag in the building. Guest or tenant.” He held it out for Yugi to take.

But he couldn’t.

He couldn’t move his arms.

His brain was screaming at him to take it, but he just...couldn’t.

Why did he have the bag!?   
Why did Yami drop it!?  
Yugi got him that bag!  
He said he would treasure it forever!

WHY DID HE HAVE THE BAG!?

Anzu’s hand reached out and took it on Yugi’s behalf, bowing her head to the caretaker.

“Thank you, Shadi. We’ll return it to him and won’t keep you for any longer.”   
“It’s okay, dear. I’m just glad to help. I’d hate for Yami to lose anything. Enjoy the rest of your day.”

With a parting wave, he left.

“Come on, Yugi. Let’s go.” Anzu encouraged, pulling on his elbow.

“We should have asked him if he’d seen Yami! Why didn’t we ask him!?” Yugi cried, eyes wide, staring at the door Shadi had exited through. He had half a mind to chase after him.

“If he’d seen Yami, he wouldn’t have gave his bag to us. Use your brain for once.” Kaiba sneered, voice cold.

“Kaiba!” Anzu exclaimed, voice reprimanding. “That’s not helpful.”

“It’s true.”

“But you could have said it a bit kinder.”

Kaiba just glowered at Anzu in response, but kept quiet.

She was right. Yugi hadn’t deserved that, but they were just wasting time right now. And he needed to know Yami was okay.

Content with Kaiba’s silence, Anzu turned back to console Yugi.

“Come on. We won’t find any answers stood on this step. Let’s go.” Taking his limp hand in hers, she pulled him, guiding him up the stairs. Kaiba followed.

\----------------

“What the…” Yugi stared at the sight before him, as he stood in front of the open door to Yami’s flat. His hand was still on the handle, his key still in the lock. He was like a statue, petrified to go any further. Unwilling to believe the sight that had greeted him as he’d opened the door.

Behind him, Kaiba cursed; as he looked over the smaller man’s head.

“What is it?” Anzu asked, unable to see.

“Out of the way.” Kaiba snarled, pushing Yugi aside carelessly to enter. As he did so, Anzu was finally able to see what the two men had seen. She let out a horrified gasp, hand covering her mouth.

In front of them, the hallway was in disarray. Coats were strewn across the floor, the tiny table where the keys were kept had been broken.

This did not bode well.

While Anzu and Yugi stayed by the door, Kaiba explored the rest of the flat. A litany of curse words came from the living room.

Anzu went to see what was wrong, bile rising in her throat at the many prospects she could imagine.

Well, she thought as she glanced in. It wasn’t the worst case scenario.

That would have been them finding Yami’s lifeless body, blood spattered everywhere and the flat in complete disarray.

Instead, it was just the last two parts that greeted them.

Furniture was pushed over onto their sides and broken. Books were scattered about, their pages ripped out. The television was cracked, possibly caused by the boot that was lying on the floor in front of it, being thrown at something. Shards of glass from the cracked screen were littering the floor. Some were covered in specks of crimson blood.

Standing in the middle of it all was Kaiba. He was staring around the room, face pasty and eyes shining with unshed tears. The cerulean depths of his irises seemed to be screaming in terror.

It all made Anzu feel sick.

Behind her, she heard movement. She jumped in fear, ready to attack. But it was just Yugi.

Wait, Yugi.

“Baby, go back into the hallway. You don’t want to..see this.” She trailed off as her efforts at shielding her boyfriend failed. Observing him very carefully, Anzu watched, as he wandered into the room.

He looked like he’d seen a ghost.

He was white as a sheet with an underlying unhealthy complexion to his skin tone. His eyes were wide with shock and his mouth was opened slightly as if he would scream if he could remember how to make a sound. Yugi’s whole body was trembling slightly. But the longer he stared at the mess, the more intense the shaking got, until he looked like a leaf blowing in the harsh autumn winds.

“Wh-what-t...wha-at’s…” he tried to speak but he couldn’t.

He couldn’t do anything.

His head hurt and his mind was blank.

He was seeing but he was not processing what he was looking at.

He couldn’t.

He didn’t want to.

Because that would mean…

It would mean admitting that Yami…

Yami was in danger.

Bending over, Yugi retched violently. It caused Kaiba to spin around, almost as if remembering he wasn’t alone. Anzu approached Yugi, swiftly moving to his side.

He cowered, jumping back as if he'd been electrocuted. Anzu silently reprimanded herself, knowing she did the wrong thing in moving too quickly. She just couldn’t help herself in that moment. Her need to be next to him made Anzu forget her training for a second.

Taking a step back, she put her hands up as if in surrender, showing Yugi that she was no threat.

“I’m sorry for startling you, sweetie. I just wanted to help.” She spoke softly, like a gentle whisper of a summer breeze.

It worked. Yugi relaxed a fraction and allowed her to approach him. Her nose wrinkled in disgust at the stench of vomit, but she persevered. A bit of sick would not hold her back.

As Anzu reached Yugi, she pulled him into her embrace and immediately felt him break down into a round of violent sobbing. She stroked his hair and made soothing noises, holding him close.

Meanwhile, Kaiba looked on.   
His heart felt like an iron grip was squeezing it. His breaths were ragged from biting back his own emotions. It would not do to have Anzu and Yugi see him break.

There was only one person who could see him like that. One person who he would allow to hold him in the same way Anzu was cuddling Yugi.

And he wasn’t here.  
He was somewhere else.

In danger.  
Possibly worse…

Shaking his head and digging his nails into his palms, Kaiba refused to follow that train of thought.

Yami was alive.  
He knew it.

He just had to find him.

But how?  
Where?

They were speaking earlier! And he was fine. He was going to go shopping. He’d had fun at work and the unusual mood of that morning had gone...

All of a sudden, Kaiba realised what he had to do.

Leaving Anzu to console Yugi, Kaiba ran into the kitchen, which was just as much of a mess as the living room.

Clearly Yami had put up a spectacular fight. A small hint of pride helped ease the tightness in his chest. He knew Yami was a fighter and wouldn’t give in so easily, but this confirmed it. Ignoring the blood that was splattered on the tiles and kitchen work tops, Kaiba rummaged through the drawers.

He had to find it!

Not even bothering to shut the drawers behind himself as he moved onto the next one, and the next, Kaiba could feel himself grow more agitated the longer he looked.

It wasn’t anywhere!

Letting out an angry scream, he punched the cupboard door closest to him. The pain that followed resonated up his arm. Cradling his sore fist in his other hand, he stared at the mess around him, wondering where Yami could have put it. The bin was upended, its contents strewn everywhere but there was no sign of it.

Think! He shouted at himself.

There must have been something he was missing...

If he wanted to keep something that worried him but hide it from others, where would he put it?

Of course!

Rushing out of the kitchen, he entered the bedroom. This wasn’t as bad as the rest of the flat, which Kaiba was relieved at. It meant looking would be easier. He walked over to the small bedside table and opened the single drawer.

There was a book Yami was in the middle of reading, a pocket sized bottle of lube, a couple of condoms, random paperwork, and…

Got it!

Kaiba tore the letter out of the envelope and read it, his pupils dilating in fear.

Running out of the bedroom, he went back to Yugi and Anzu. Not caring whether Yugi had calmed down or not, he started asking him questions.

“Who’s the Curator?” He demanded.

The two of them looked up, confused.

“Wh-what?” Yugi asked, voice hoarse and his throat dry.

“The Curator. Do you know who it is?”

“No. I’ve never heard of them.”

Kaiba glanced between the two people in front of him. It was clear that neither of them could help.

“Fuck!” He swore.   
What could he do now?

There was only one option left.

Digging out his phone from his pocket, he unlocked it and hit 1 on his speed dial. After two rings, the other line picked up.

“Hey Seto! Great timing I wa-”

“No time for that Mokuba. I don’t give a shit about work. Listen, I need you to get the labs sorted and ready for my arrival. I have a letter and it needs to be analysed completely. Ink, paper, handwriting. Everything. I need ink type and ink brand. Paper type, paper brand. Run a scan for any possible handwriting matches in the whole of Domino and-”

“Woah! Slow down, big bro! You want to tell me what’s going on first?”

Snarling in frustration, not wanting to waste more time, Seto quickly relayed the events of the past couple of hours to Mokuba, who listened intently. After he was done, there was a moments silence as Seto waited for Mokuba to react. He was eerily quiet.

“Well?” He snapped.

“Well, what?”

“Labs! I need this letter analysed.”

“True. Or…” Mokuba started.

“Or what?”

“What was in his bag?”

Seto frowned in confusion.

“His bag? Why does that matter?”

“Just check it.”

Huffing in frustration, Seto grabbed the bag from next to Anzu’s feet and emptied it.

“There’s his wallet, sunglasses, mints, a couple of receipts, a spare canvas tote bag and some work related shit you don’t need to know about. Now can we talk about this fucking letter!”

“I have a better idea.” Seto could hear the relief in Mokuba’s voice.

“Which is?” He inquired, hope causing his stomach to churn nervously. What was he missing?

“Yami still has his phone. We track his gps.”

Seto’s face lit up.

“Mokuba, you’re a genius!” Seto exclaimed down the phone, wanting nothing more than to hug his brother in joy.

“I know.” Mokuba replied, cheekily. “If you give me a minute, I’m running his number through our system now. It should give us a location, provided his phone hasn’t been broken in the fight. If it has, then we’ll do it your way. Don’t worry, Seto. No matter what, we’ll find him. Okay?”

Seto gripped his phone tightly, feeling the tears burn his eyes as he blinked them away. Mokuba’s reassurance meant everything to him. He was always there at his side, cheering him on or cheering him up. It was the closest thing to a hug for him at the moment.

“Okay.” He choked out. “Thank you.” He whispered. Seto could feel Anzu and Yugi look at him but he didn’t care anymore.

He just needed to find Yami.

“Ah-ha!” Mokuba shouted down the phone. “Got him! He’s at the museum, Seto.”

The CEO let out a indistinct sound, as relief washed over him, as well as realisation, as the puzzle pieces started to fit together.

“The Curator.” He whispered to no one in particular.

“Makes sense.” Mokuba replied. “What do you want me to do now? I can call the police or meet you there?”

“No.” Seto shouted immediately. “No. Whoever’s taken Yami are dangerous. I don’t want you in the middle of all of that. I’ll get him. You’ve done amazing already, Mokuba. Thank you. I’ll keep you updated. And Mokuba, he’ll be fine. Okay?”

Seto heard a tiny sob down the line. He knew how much Yami had came to mean to Mokuba in the short time they’ve known each other.

“Okay, big bro.” Came the response. Seto was immediately reminded of a time, a few years back, when Mokuba used to come to him, a small child needing comforting from the nightmares that had plagued him. “I’ll see you later. Make them pay.”

“I will.”

The line went dead as Mokuba hung up. Kaiba stared at his own phone for a moment and then put it back in his pocket. He blinked away his tears and turned to Anzu and Yugi.

“He’s at the museum. You two stay here. It’s too dangerous.”

He started towards the door but Anzu stopped him.

“Wait! We’re in this together. We all go or none of us go.” Kaiba turned around to see her standing up facing him, arms crossed over her chest and feet apart.

She stared defiantly at him.

Kaiba could argue with her, convince her to stay, but they didn’t have time for this. Sighing in resignation, he lowered his head.

“Fine. But you do as I say. Got it?”

“Got it.”

Helping Yugi to his feet, the three of them left, locking the flat behind them.

They just hoped that they could get to Yami before it was too late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ding dong, the angst is back. 
> 
> We hope you enjoyed it and that it was worth the extra week of waiting. As always, all your constant support keeps us going and we appreciate each and every one of you. 
> 
> <3


	18. Honey we're breaking the rules in this love arcade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are - the ultimate angst fest!
> 
> ***TRIGGER WARNING***  
> \- graphic violence  
> \- kidnapping  
> \- torture  
> \- blood  
> \- non-con kink (consensual and non-consensual)  
> \- anger issues  
> \- anxiety  
> \- manipulation and toxic relationships  
> \- trauma
> 
> If any of these bother you, you can skip this chapter and you can catch up in the next one.
> 
> This chapter is intense and you have been warned.  
> Enjoy!  
> <3

Cold.

That was the first thing Yami registered. There was a draft coming from somewhere. He didn’t know where. The Pharaoh usually shut all of his windows before he went to sleep. Despite all of his years living in Japan, Yami still couldn’t tolerate the breeze as he slept. He went to open his eyes but for some reason he struggled. Panicking slightly, Yami put all of his energy into trying to open them.

Exhaustion.

That was the next thing he registered. The simple act of trying to get the muscles in his eyelids to work was tiring. He gave up. As he did so, Yami realised his whole body felt lethargic. His head was dropping to the side, and Yami’s limbs felt like lead weights. In fact, he was so exhausted, that he couldn’t really feel them. They were just...there. And only because he knew they should be there. Yami figured he must have slept on them for a long time. What else could it have been? Finding the last trickle of energy inside of him, The Pharaoh tried to move his fingers, to get the circulation going again. That was when…

Pain.

As he curled his fingers into a fist, an excruciating sensation went from his knuckles all the way up his forearm.  
“Fuck!” He cursed. However, the sound that came out didn’t actually sound anything like the swear. The ‘f’ sounded more like ‘th’ and the ‘ck’ sounded harsher than it should have. The ‘u’ was barely distinguishable. Confused and panicking, Yami took a deep breath. Maybe he just slept on his hand really funny? And sleep was causing his words to slur? Calming his mind, he tried to get a feel for his body. This was a bad idea.

Reality.

That was the fourth and final thing he realised.  
Yami quickly figured out that he wasn’t in his bed, in his home like he first thought. Instead, he was in some random place, tied to a chair, with an extensive amount of injuries covering his body. Or at least, that’s what it felt like. He also presumed that the lethargy must be a result of some sort of drug.

Refusing to allow himself even a second to panic, Yami tried to come up with a plan. Or at least, to try and remember how he got here…

_You (12:07): I have to go now baby. Going shopping for tonight and then I’ll be picking Yugi up from work. Message me if you need me baby boy. I hope the rest of your meetings go well and I'll see you later. Love you._

_Seto (12:11): Okay, Your Majesty. I hope you enjoy yourself. I’ll speak to you later. Love you too._

_Yami smiled, as he read Seto’s final text. It always warmed his heart to read such sweet words. He pocketed his phone and started walking back towards his flat. It was a beautiful, sunny day and he figured the walk would be invigorating for him, especially after the stressors of the day._

_Unwillingly, Yami’s mind travelled back towards the letter from that morning. He felt his anxiety start clawing its way back up into his chest, but he pushed it back down. After all, there was nothing to be worried about. It was an empty threat, and nothing more._

_Instead, he focused his mind on the past few hours at work. They’d had a very busy morning which was unusual in itself. It was normally the evenings that were chaotic, mostly because that's when clients were free to visit. The days, particularly the mornings, were mostly preparation for that day’s clients as well as inventory and general cleaning._

_Today, however, Yami had a new potential client to meet, one client to punish, and then he had to help Mai with a new piece of equipment. It turned out to be more complicated than they had originally thought. This was all on top of the usual, menial tasks of running the studio._

_Thankfully, he did run the business._

_Even though the Pharaoh hadn’t finished taking inventory, he decided to take the afternoon off and left Yugi to finish his jobs for him. After all, the game shop was quiet and his twin had been complaining that he was bored. It was a win-win situation. Not that Yugi agreed._

_Lost in his own little world, Yami was shocked to find that he was almost at his flat. It was a forty minute walk from the studio to his home. Not that Yami minded the journey. He always preferred to walk it, but most of the time he and Yugi drove there and back because of time constraints. It wouldn’t be good for business if he arrived late to meet a client. After all, Yami was strict with his subs about punctuality, so he had to lead by example. And he really did like that extra half an hour sleeping in the morning._

_That morning, Mai had picked them up. She always did, when they were all working first thing in the morning. Normally, she would also take them home once they were done, but the Domme was leaving early for a date night with Jounouchi, while the twins needed to go shopping, so they could have a night in together without anyone else._

_Since they’d been dating Anzu and Seto, they rarely spent time on their own with each other. Both of them had missed it. Even their two nights a week where they cooked together had become more of a group get together. Mai was often round and when she was round, so was Jou. Anzu was often at Yugi’s flat so she was there unless she had work or dancing. Last night Seto had been there._

_So tonight was just going to be the two of them._

_Looking left and right, Yami crossed the road and reached the block of flats. Opening the front door, he let himself in, climbing the stairs to his flat. He unlocked his door, grabbed his bag and then left, locking the door behind him. Walking back down the stairs, Yami checked his shopping list, making sure there was nothing he’d forgotten. Confident that everything he needed was on there, the Pharaoh put the list in his pocket and stepped outside._

_Only to bump into a group of men._

_“Oh sorry. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going.” He apologised. Looking at the three men, Yami felt uneasy. They seemed to be...strange? Like they were trouble._

_The one he walked into was tall and had the same skin tone as Yami. He had a face tattoo, that seemed to be some sort of Arabic text. The man was bald, except for a black ponytail on the back of his head and he was wearing deep purple robes and a slightly lighter purple t-shirt. Two large belts were fastened around his waist, similar to how Yami quite liked to wear them. The man had very serious, solemn eyes and thin black eyeliner around them. Dangling from his ears were two simple gold ankhs._

_The man's companions were even more unusual to look at. One was short, around Yami’s height, but he seemed to be some sort of punk, judging by his choice of clothes. He was wearing thick black eyeliner, making his vacant-looking eyes seem huge. A simple black collar, grey lipstick, and many facial piercings. The man was wearing a simple, long sleeved black shirt with studded, metal bands around his biceps and wrists. Burgundy, baggy trousers were held up by canary yellow suspenders. A moss green messenger bag hung loosely across his body, almost falling off of his right shoulder. Most notably, however, was the large, loose metal collar that didn't fit correctly. It had a steel chain attached to it, pulling it down to hang across his collar bones rather than allowing the collar to sit at the base of his neck. A stainless steel padlock was swinging at the end of the chain, reaching the centre of his torso._

_He freaked Yami out. Except, he wasn’t the weirdest one there._

_The final man was dressed like a high class jester. He was wearing a plum silk suit, that could only be described as dramatic. It had fabric arching into a high point at the shoulders, trousers that were wider at the hips, and a fitted jacket that ended in a very defined ‘V’ shape. He was even wearing a plum top hat, like a magician. There was a thick black and white striped band, that wrapped around the base of the hat, which matched the masquerade mask that he wore over his eyes. The mask had two large diamond shapes, which covered most of his face, with tiny slits where the eyes were. It then curved outwards to look as though he had two inverted tusks next to his head. Around his neck, he wore a rather large bow tie, with the same pattern as the mask._

_Feeling extremely uneasy, Yami started to back away from the group heading in the opposite direction._

_“Umm...I really am sorry. But I'm in a rush so I’m just going to go.” He announced when the men did nothing but stare at him._

_From behind the Pharaoh came a voice that glued him to the floor._

_“But we don’t want you to go.”_

_No. No way. He can’t be here._

_Not even daring to turn around, Yami ran for the door leading into the flats and unlocked it, thankful that the key was still in his hand. Except, the men didn't move. They only watched._

_Opening the door, he flung it wide open and legged it up the stairs. That was when the command came._

_“Get him.”_

_Before the door shut on them, the large man in the purple cloak barged through it and ran straight after Yami, the other two following at his heel._

_Taking the stairs two at a time, Yami threw his bag at the group, hoping it might slow them down even though it was empty. Up and up he went, heart pounding painfully in his chest and legs burning with the exertion. But he did not stop. The men were advancing on him and he refused to be captured._

_He reached the second floor and skidded to a halt in front of his door. Fumbling with the keys, The Pharaoh cursed, as he tried to control the shaking of his hands to put the key in the lock. Looking to the side, he noticed, that the men were coming down the corridor._

_“Come on.” He groaned. Successfully unlocking his door, he tried to shut it in time, before the group got to him._

_But it was too late._

_They pushed the door aside, knocking Yami down with it. Pulling himself across the floor away from them, Yami knocked over the table with the key bowl on top of it, down onto the ground, distracting the men for a couple of seconds. It was enough time to get back onto his feet._

_The dom ran into the living room, feeling like a mouse trapped in a maze. Where could he go? Maybe he could jump from the balcony? It wasn’t that high. He tried to get to the door, but the taller man caught him. Yami elbowed him in the stomach, unsurprised to find that there was nothing but muscular abs without even the hint of fat on him. In retaliation, the man punched Yami in the face, sending him stumbling backwards into the TV, moaning in pain. Blood dripped onto the floor, while the television crashed onto it, but Yami shook the pain off._

_He would not be captured in his own home!_

_Not knowing what else to do, Yami tried to block their path to him once again. He ran behind the sofa and gave it an almighty push, running into the kitchen._

_The Pharaoh grabbed a knife from the knife block and turned to face the kitchen door, where the three men appeared. He was at least armed now. Still, he kept taking steps backwards. If he could barricade himself in his room, then he would have time to call the police._

_He would be fine._

_As he walked past stuff, he pushed it onto the floor, not caring what it was, or what smashed in the process. He just needed a few extra seconds._

_The group did nothing but smirk, unphased by his attempts. They just kept advancing towards him._

_Suddenly, the man with the Arabic text tattooed on his face lunged forward. Yami was too slow to retaliate. The knife was knocked out of his hand and he fell backwards, hitting his head hard on the floor. Black spots appeared in front of his eyes and he felt himself being dragged to his feet. A deep, rumbling voice spoke, sounding as if it were coming from far away._

_“Tell Master Marik we’re coming now.”_

_...Marik._

_No!_

_Fear gave him a new burst of energy, as he tried to squirm out of the grip holding him up. All of a sudden, he felt a sharp prick in his neck and a cold rush of liquid ran in his veins._

_“No.” He cried out, trying to fight the drowsiness overcoming him. But it was no use._

_Darkness encompassed him._

“Thuk. Thuk. Thuk.” He cursed.

This was bad.  
This was really bad.

Despite his hardest efforts to not give in to the panic, he could feel it gripping his heart, blocking his throat, making it hard to breathe. Tears were pricking at his eyes, but he couldn’t blink them away. They were now stinging as they flooded the backs of his eyelids, leaking out of the tiniest gap in the corner. He was panting and he felt bile rising, the acidity of it burning the back of his throat.

A strangled whimper escaped his puffy, cut lips. He couldn’t help it.

He needed air.  
He needed to see.  
He needed to escape.  
Fuck, he just needed to breathe!

“Shhh.”

The sudden sound made Yami jump, yet his restraints made that impossible. It just hurt him more. The noise came from behind him, followed by an unexpected touch. It was rubbing his back and massaging the base of his neck.

“You’re alright. I’ll keep you safe, hmm?”

Yami let out another whimper. It was small and broken. His neck and back hurt but it wasn’t the pain that came from the delicate touches that caused the sound.

It was the words.

The voice and the language that was used.  
Harsh Arabic was spoken in a deep, dangerous voice. A voice that tried to sound kind and caring but was failing at masking the sadistic glee that shrouded every word at the mere idea of pain and torture. It wasn’t one Yami would easily forget. In fact, for years it haunted his nightmares at night. For months, it dominated his waking hours.

Marik.

The Pharaoh’s breath stopped. His skin crawled in displeasure and a shiver of terror shot down his spine, leaving an icy trail spreading from the centre of his back. He felt numb.

“Breath. Come on. You need to breath for me. You want to be a good boy for me, don’t you?”

Yami bit the inside of his lip to stop the sob that wanted to erupt from deep inside of him.

He could not show this man any weakness.

One by one, Yami let out a shaky breath. He had to maintain control.

He was now in a battle of wills.

And he was losing.

“Good boy.” Marik cooed above his head, running his fingers through Yami’s tangled hair.

It was all so gentle.  
Loving.

It was terrifying.

Suddenly, an excruciating throb went from the top of his head, down to the base of his neck, as Marik unceremoniously yanked his head back by his hair. It was rough and domineering and Yami felt paralysed with fear.

Hot breath ghosted against his ear. That was the only warning Yami received before the Egyptians voice growled into it.

“What do we say when we’ve received a compliment?”

No.  
No!  
Yami would not let himself be reduced to this. He would not play Marik’s sadistic game.

“Answer me!” He barked, and Yami flinched as it assaulted his ear drum.

Still, he remained silent.

Snarling in frustration, Marik let go of Yami’s hair, who quickly moved his head back into a more comfortable position. Although the drugs were still making it hard to keep it upright. However, Yami was not able to enjoy this one, tiny victory.

Slap!

The Pharaoh’s cheek stung, his head being forced to turn to the right by the sheer strength that went into the slap. Before he could comprehend what was happening, before he could truly register the pain, Marik gripped Yami’s chin and forced him to look forward. Presumably so they were face to face.

“You want to be bad, hmm? Well I don’t like brats. You can learn this the easy way, or the hard way.”

Yami felt the whole world come to a stop.

Those words.  
He knew those words.

_Yami entered the room as quietly as he could and just stood by the door. In the middle of the room was a single metal chair. Tied to that chair was his sub, naked as the day he was born, except for the silk blindfold over his eyes and the bright red ball gag in his mouth. This room was deliberately colder than the rest of the studio. Not by much, but enough to make the steel chair cold to the touch. From his position by the door, Yami could see Marik shivering ever so slightly. However, The Pharaoh knew he was enjoying himself._

_His penis stood erect, tip brushing against his stomach each time it twitched, begging for attention. A flush travelled from his head, down to his chest which had a slightly erratic pattern to it due to his irregular breathing._

_Yami smirked._

_They'd been playing for half an hour now, setting the scene up. From the room adjacent to this one, the Dom had watched Marik through a single camera in the top right corner of the ceiling. They hadn’t experimented with anxiety play before, but it was something Marik had always wanted to try. Only after many hours of discussing the safety and logistics of it did Yami agree._

_Inching forward, Yami approached the bound sub, who sensed him getting closer and closer. His heart sped up and his breathing started to come in pants._

_Only when Yami was in front of Marik did the blond Egyptian make a noise. He groaned around the gag stuffed in his mouth and tried to find Yami, turning his head left and right._

_Yami chuckled._

_It was dark and menacing._

_Goosebumps rose on Marik’s skin and Yami laughed some more._

“ _What’s the matter? Scared, bitch?” The dom taunted._

_Marik whimpered around the gag and strained against the hemp rope, binding him to the piece of furniture._

“ _What was that? No? I guess I’ll just have to try harder then.” The moment Yami finished speaking, he slapped Marik’s face, making his head jerk to the side and he cried out in pain. However, his dick gave a rather excited twitch, pre-cum leaking from the slit._

_It was all the encouragement Yami needed._

_The dom grabbed Marik’s chin and wrenched his face forward so he could look at it._

_“I’m sorry. Did I hurt you, my sweet baby?”_

_In an act of defiance, the younger Egyptian stayed silent, challenging his dom._

_Yami didn’t like that.  
So he slapped him again._

_Marik moaned, drool leaking steadily from his mouth. There was already a considerable amount dried across his chin, cheek and torso._

_Once again Yami gripped his sub’s cheek._

“ _You think you’re clever being silent?”_

_Marik gave a rather enthusiastic nod in response._

_Bristling in agitation, Yami slapped Marik’s bare thigh. Hard._

_The sub keened at the pain, clenching his toes and trying to move away from it. But he couldn’t._

_Gripping the long, blond hair, Yami whispered in his ear._

_“You want to be bad, hmm? Well I don’t like brats. You can learn this the easy way or the hard way.”_

“Please.” Yami whispered, word slurring slightly.

“Go on.” Marik commanded, his voice sounding suspicious but curious.

“Please, Marik. Please take the blindfold off so I can see you.”

Slap!

This time, the right cheek was struck but just like last time, Yami didn’t have a chance to process what was happening. However, it was his hair that was roughly grabbed instead of his chin.

“Do you really think you’re in a position to give commands? Do you!? Let me tell you what the situation is since you’re clearly too slow to figure shit out yourself. I’m in charge. Not you. You’re my little bitch…”

_“...tied down to this chair. You can’t move and you can’t see. So, think carefully about how you speak to me. Otherwise I’ll just gag that pretty little mouth of yours. Now, try that again. But this time…”_

“...don’t try and give orders to me. Beg me.”

Yami opened and closed his mouth a few times like a fish trying to breathe out of water. Taking a deep breath, he collected his thoughts and tried again.

“Marik. Please. Please can you take the blindfold off? I would like to see you. Please, Marik? I really would like to see your face.”

“Hmm. I guess we can work on your begging. However that will do for now.”

With more force than necessary, Marik removed the velvet blindfold from Yami’s eyes. The Dom expected to be blinded from light the moment he opened his eyes. But that was not the case.

It was poorly lit where they were. Shadows filled the large, empty spaces. In fact, Yami could only see a few feet in front of him - even then he struggled and had to squint. They seemed to be in some sort of basement or cellar. Vague outlines looked to be shelves along the walls. The whole room was entirely made out of stone. Yami now understood where the cold draft was coming from.

Out of his peripheral view, there was movement. A shadow lurking in the darkness waiting to pounce.

“Thank you, Marik.” Yami announced, hoping his politeness would make the shadow advance in a less predatory manner.

“Good boy using your manners.” Marik smirked, strutting to stand in front of the dom.

Some would say the years had been kind to him. His skin was unmarked, not even a small wrinkle appearing in his forehead. There were no scars or even purple bruises under his eyes from exhaustion or stress. His olive skin was smooth and perfect. Marik’s bleach blond hair was voluminous and looked to be in excellent condition. Yami bet that there would be no hint of a split end if someone were to take a look.

As Yami’s eyes took in the rest of Marik’s appearance, he noticed that he had bulked up a lot since their last meeting. The other Egyptian had always been in good physical condition, but was always on the lean side, much like himself. Now, his shoulders were broad and the muscles in his biceps and forearms flexed with each tiny movement. The dark blue tank top he was wearing hugged his pectoral muscles and left little to the imagination regarding his abdominal muscles. Even his cargo trousers could do little to hide the strength of his thighs and calves.

Basically, Yami thought, if he wanted to get out of this alive, he’d have to use his brains. There was no way he could overpower Marik now.

Looking back at Marik’s face, Yami spotted all the ways the world had not been kind to his former friend.

His once beautiful, lilac eyes that held such innocence and naivety in them now swam with insanity. There was an evil shine in them and clearly showed the glee that he was feeling due to the current situation. They were terrifying. A bulging vein was visible in his forehead and an ecstatic, sadistic smirk reached his eyes.

Yami shivered in fear.  
And guilt.

Did he do this to him?  
Did he drive Marik insane?

_Sitting opposite him, Yami observed the many different emotions, that appeared on Marik’s face._

_“You what?”  
He asked, disbelief evident in his tone._

“ _I no longer want you as my sub. I’m ending our contract.” Yami repeated._

_Marik just sat there, stunned into silence._

“ _Why?”  
He inquired after a few minutes._

_The dom sighed._

_“Because,” he started, wondering how he could put this carefully._

_Maybe because you’re the leader of an art smuggling ring?_  
_Maybe because you’re getting more and more aggressive?_ __  
Maybe because you’re trying to dominate scenes rather than being submissive?  
Maybe because the young man that came to him, hoping to be reborn into something better had become trapped and twisted because of the trauma of his past?

_Yami decided, that he should just rip the band aid off and be as general as he could.  
“Marik, here’s the thing. I can not condone the behaviour you’re presenting. Nor can I be associated with you. This partnership is no longer safe or sane, Marik. It has to end.”_

_The sub’s face twisted into an ugly snarl._

_“I refuse!”_

_“You can’t. I’m finished with this, Marik. I wish you all the best in the future and I hope you can move past this dark phase of your life.”_

_A humourless laugh echoed around them._

“ _My whole life has been one, long dark phase. This, right now, is my golden age. I will not have my life dictated by some pathetic man, who has to be paid to feel powerful.”_

_“Then leave.”_

_“Fine.”_

_Marik stood up abruptly from the beige couch._

_“You can’t get rid of me that easily!” He hissed before storming out of the room, leaving Yami staring after him in fear._

_What did he mean by that?  
He wouldn’t harm him, would he?_

_Putting his head in his hands, Yami started to cry.  
He had failed this man._

_From this point on, Yami refused to fail anyone else. He would do anything for his subs._

Those crazy eyes were clearly still as sharp as they had been. They noticed Yami’s distress and the grin grew impossibly larger. He stretched his arms out, inviting Yami to keep looking at him.

“Like what you see, Pharaoh?” He gloated.

Yami stayed silent.

What could he say?  
Yes?  
That would be a lie.  
No?  
Marik would do more than slap his face.

Clearly unamused by Yami’s silence, Marik snarled and sat down on a wooden chair. He crossed his arms and legs and just stared at the dom.

As Marik continued to observe Yami, the latter's brain raced with different scenarios. More notably was the one in which he ended up dead, thrown into the nearest lake or ditch. He didn’t think Marik would be capable of it, or at least, he hadn’t thought that. Not until he saw the madness that now seemed to pulse through his former sub’s veins.

He had to get out of here.  
Maybe, if he stalled long enough, someone would find him. But the question was: where was he?

Think, Yami told himself. He could work this out. There wouldn’t be many places like this in Domino since it’s clearly not a warehouse. It also seemed incredibly old, almost like they’re underneath the city hall or…

Of course!  
The curator!

“You took over the museum then?” Yami announced conversationally. Marik’s eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“How do you know that?”

“That’s where we are, isn't it? The museum?”

Marik remained silent, but he leaned forward to observe the Pharaoh closer.

“Yes. But don't think anyone will find you. I own this place and this part of the cellar is strictly prohibited. Except for me and my...selective group.” Marik grinned, showing his pearly white teeth to Yami. It was like a lioness baring its teeth to the poor antelope before she struck the killing blow.

Trying to ignore the relentless pace of his beating heart, Yami continued on, hoping his nerves weren’t clearly visible.

“I’ve heard about them. The media have dubbed them the ‘Rare Hunters’.”

Marik cackled.

“Yes. That’s true. We quite like the name. Only the best does for us, and the best is always rare to find. Common is disgusting.” A sly grin tugged at Marik’s lips as he leaned back. “Just like your new bitch. You must surely have a million different versions of him paying you.”

Anger surged through Yami, as Marik insulted Seto. It disintegrated any fear he was feeling, but also any common sense he was experiencing.

“Don’t you dare.” Yami hissed. “Insult me all you want. Hurt me all you want, but don’t you dare bring Seto into this.”

“How pathetically cliched.” Marik laughed. “What do you see in him? I’m genuinely confused. He’s arrogant, egotistical, boring, and daddy paid for everything he has ju-”

“Shut up! Now!” The Pharaoh yelled. He used the voice that normally brought all of his subs crashing to their knees, begging for forgiveness.

But Marik was no longer his sub.

_Yami inhaled deeply for a few seconds before he exhaled._

_This was it._  
He was getting a new sub.  
And they asked for him personally!

_This would be his third sub since the owner of the studio announced he was completely trained and Yami still felt giddy with excitement at the prospect. He loved this job. He felt exhilarated with the power and respect his sub's gave him. More importantly, he enjoyed helping and caring for them._

_Hopefully, this new one would be easy to mould and train and he could see them blossom into a better person._

_All Yami knew of him was that he was male, and two years younger than he was. And that he was the museum curator’s son._

_Yami grimaced.  
This might have been a bit more difficult than he wanted, but Yami always rose to a challenge. There were rumours surrounding this man. Some said that he was difficult and a bit rebellious. Some said that he was strange and had a tendency to lose his temper. Some said he was a bit of a delinquent and would be locked up at some point in the future. Some even said that he was a tad bit insane._

_Shaking his head, Yami refused to listen to idle gossip. He would make his own mind up about his potential client and go from there. After all, he and Yugi got called strange all the time._

_Pushing the handle down, Yami confidently strode into the contract room._

_Sitting on the beige couch next to the window was a young, Egyptian male. It was rather odd for Yami, seeing someone with the same heritage as himself, but comforting at the same time._

_“Hello.” Yami announced, making the young man jump slightly._

_Lilac eyes turned to stare at Yami, looking him up and down. Judging him._

_Yami let him._

_One of the most important things he learned was, that the sub had to be happy with their choice of dom, and first impressions are everything. At the end of the day, this was a business and in business, a good first impression usually lead to a good working relationship. A good working relationship lead to confidence and trust in one another._

_So, Yami just stood there - hands on hips, leaning against the wall._

_A minute bobbing of the head and purses lips told the dom, that the young man was done with his appraisal of Yami and seemed to be content._

_Pushing himself off the wall, Yami went and sat in the plush armchair opposite the couch._

_On the glass coffee table was a jug of iced water and two glasses, as well as a plate of biscuits._

_“Would you like something to eat or drink? We might be here for some time.” He offered kindly, smiling in the blond’s direction._

_“No, thank you.”_

_“Okay. Help yourself at any time if you do.” Yami poured himself a glass and took a refreshing sip, moistening his lips. Despite his excitement, he was also incredibly nervous. Taking another deep breath, he picked up the pen and notepad and sat back to begin the meeting._

_“What’s your name?”_

_“Marik.”_

_Yami jotted it down at the top of the page._

_“Can you speak Arabic, Marik?” He inquired in wonder. The boy spoke very fluent Japanese. From what Yami understood, the Ishtar family had lived in Domino for many years, possibly Marik’s whole lifetime. Even though Yami kept very close to his roots and heritage, there was no saying whether the Ishtar’s did._

_“Na’am*.” Marik replied, smirking as Yami beamed, hearing Arabic coming from a stranger for the first time in many years._

_“If you would like, we can speak Arabic with each other rather than Japanese?”_

_Marik pondered the question for a moment.  
“I would like that.” He replied, a tiny smile lighting up his features._

_“Excellent.” Yami enthused, excitement threatening to burst out of his chest. The future was filled with so many possibilities with Marik. This personal touch could definitely help build their bond and bring them closer than Yami could possibly imagine being with any other sub._

_Calm yourself. He scolded._

_He was still in the early stages of meeting this new client after all._

_“So, Marik, what would you like from me?”_

_“Isn’t that obvious?” Marik gave him a look that clearly showed he wasn’t impressed with Yami’s seemingly obvious, stupid question. His eyebrow was raised and he rolled his eyes ever so slightly, crossing his arms over his chest._

_He looked bored._

_Yami bristled._

_“No, it’s not. For this to work, I need you to be completely honest with me, Marik. You need to tell me exactly what you want in the most simplistic terms. That way we are both on the same page and we can see how to make this partnership a success. If not, it is doomed from the beginning.”_

_Marik narrowed his eyes._

_“Fine. I want you to dominate me.”_

_“Okay. And how? In what way would you like that to happen?” Yami probed, patiently. He tried not to get agitated with Marik’s aggressive defensive replies. This was a very personal, vulnerable experience for the sub, so some level of reluctance was perfectly natural. It was Yami’s job to calmly break them down enough to trust him and give the dom this information freely._

_“What do you mean how? There’s only one way.” The young man seemed to be genuinely confused here, as if he misunderstood something._

_Yami just smiled encouragingly at him._

_“There are many ways to be dominated, Marik. It isn’t just ropes, chains, and whips. There are ways to dominate someone without even hurting them. There are also many non-sexual ways too, if you’d prefer. There’s pet play, and age play. Then there’s the more masochistic side. There is something for everyone. And I can help you discover what you’re looking for.”_

_“Huh.”_

_Marik sat back and thought about it all for a while, eyebrows knitted together._

_“I think it’s masochistic.” He muttered._

_“Okay. What makes you say that? What do you know you’d like to try? Or have tried even?”_

_The blond blushed slightly, a rosy tint highlighting his sharp cheekbones._

_“I want to be, er...overpowered? I want to be pushed down and whipped until I bruise and can’t sit for days. I want the pain - any pain. I want you to humiliate me. Make me yours, over and over again. Hell, make me bleed even!” As Marik continued talking, his enthusiasm and excitement began to creep into his voice, making it rise in volume. His bright eyes gleamed with desire and passion._

_He really wanted this._

_Yami swallowed. This was rougher than anything he’d experienced before. It was out of his comfort zone too. But, maybe that was just because he’d never personally tried it. The dom thought about it, mulling it over in his mind._

_“Okay. Marik, I have to be honest with you, I’m not sure if I’m the right person for this. I am willing to try it with you if you would like me too. Or I can point you in the direction of a dom who can be confident in meeting your needs. The most important thing is for you to be able to trust your dom. If admitting this means you can’t trust me completely, then we stop this meeting now and I can help you find someone else. I won’t be offended. Not every dom and sub are compatible.”_

_“I want you.” Marik responded bluntly._

_Yami’s heart soared and his stomach twisted into a knot at that confession._

_He would do well for Marik. Showing him, that his trust was not misplaced.  
“Okay then. Let’s get this contract organised.”_

A tanned fist came out of nowhere and connected with his nose, a crack echoing in the room as blood poured out of his nostrils. He could already feel the centre of his face swelling and he knew he would have two black eyes for a while.

Marik forced his face upwards so that they were face to face. Their breaths mingling and ghosting across the other's cheek.

“Do you think you’re in charge here? I’m not one of your little bitches. Not anymore. You made sure of that, remember? When you left me in a time where I needed you the most. So don’t think you can boss me around, Pharaoh! Because you can’t. You’re nothing without your little paper contracts and your whips and your riding crops. You’re just a small, pathetic man who likes dick too much. You go around calling yourself ‘Yami’ as if that makes you mysterious and exciting. Well here’s the thing Pharaoh: I'm the real darkness here! I’m the real Yami!”

“Marik…”

"No. It’s Yami. Or how about... Yami Marik?"  
Shrieking laughter echoed through the room bouncing off of the walls. It made the Pharaoh flinch.

Still, he held his ground.

“No, Marik.”

He stared stubbornly back at the crazed Egyptian, watching many different emotions flicker on his perfect face.

“No?” He whispered in disbelief. “No. Did you just say no to me?”

Rage took over the features on his face, twisting it’s beauty into the ugliest snarl. His nostrils flared and his teeth were bared, tongue sticking out slightly and his eyes glinted with the promise of unimaginable horror for Yami.

“No one says no to me! Not anymore!”

Before Yami could respond, a fist slammed into the side of his head, just above his right ear.

Instead of pain, however, Yami just felt his head go numb, as his vision went blurry until the shadows surrounded him in nothing but complete and utter darkness.

\-----------------------

A muffled voice pierced the black veil that shrouded his mind, leading him back to the dim light of the museum cellar.  
As his eyes refocused, he noticed Marik had sat back down. And he was now holding something…

A whip.

Yami panicked, trying to break his bonds.  
This was not right!  
He couldn’t do this!  
He just wanted to live peacefully!

“Please. Marik, please just let me go.”

The pain blanketing his entire body caused his mind to go completely foggy, particularly where Marik’s fist had made contact with his skull. It caused him to lose control of his pride.

He was exhausted.  
He would do anything to make Marik let him go.

Anything but that.  
He couldn’t be reduced to that.  
He was the dom!

Marik noticed Yami’s struggle and smiled, almost as if he was relieved to see it.

“Ah. You’re back. I lost you there for a minute. I can’t have you blacking out and missing all the fun!”  
The way he spoke was almost as if he were speaking to a lover. It was reassuring and held a note of fondness to his voice.

Sometimes, Yami thought that Marik had two completely opposing sides. Both held an evil streak and had a tendency to disregard rules. However one of them had some sort of moral code. In fact, at times he seemed to be quite sweet. That had been early on in their blooming friendship.

_Marik had been a troubled young man when he came to Yami. Son of the popular, successful museum curator, he had been trained to take over the role from the moment he could walk. His father refused to see anyone but his own son replace him in the position and, even though it was city property, the directors of the museum felt it would be a good idea. They had not seen a better curator than Mr. Ishtar for many years. His son was the perfect fit._

_Due to the pressure that came from having big shoes to fill and many expectations to fulfill, Marik had been extremely tense. He needed an outlet to release his frustrations._

_He needed someone to care for him._

_There was his sister of course, Ishizu, but she was away at college, studying archaeology and Egyptology. She had succeeded in getting field experience in a dig lasting one year. Then there was Rishid - the Ishtar's nanny. He was the only one who had ever been able to placate Marik’s turbulent moods._

_Their bond had started off quite well. It wasn’t so different to many first time Dom/sub relationships. Yami himself was still finding his feet, having barely finished his own training. Marik had been one of his first subs but Yami felt he could take him on. Little did he realise, that Marik had been giving off many early warning signs that this was a bad idea. That Yami should get up and leave as soon as possible._

_Marik’s father died two months after the contract signing. That was, when this other Marik showed his face for the first time. It became harder and harder for Yami to help him. In the end, he could do nothing but watch, as the sweet boy he had grown to love and respect turned into the ugly monster that was now hovering in front of him, whip hanging loosely from his hand._

It broke his heart back then.  
It would break his bones today.

“Marik. Please. Please don’t. Just let me go.”

“Yes, yes. I heard you the first time. Tell me, Pharaoh, how does it feel to beg at my feet? Hmm? Do you feel free? Do you feel the exhilaration coursing through your veins?”

No.  
No he didn’t feel any of that.  
He felt sick to his stomach and the words felt wrong on his tongue.  
But he would do it if it meant his freedom.

“Pl-lease.” Yami sobbed, tears finally finding their way down his cheeks. As they passed over the many cuts on his face, they stung, intensifying the pain of the injuries.

Marik threw his head back and laughed maniacally.  
“I must say, I now see why you chose this career. It truly is amazing having someone weep pathetically for your mercy. It’s empowering.”

Yami whimpered.

That’s not why he did it.  
He didn’t like making people cry for mercy.  
He wanted to help and care for people.  
Nurture them to become their best selves.

This was all wrong - all of it!

“What happened to you?” Yami shrieked as Marik gently, teasingly traced the tails over The Pharaoh’s shoulder.

It stopped.

Leaning down, Marik hissed into Yami’s ear.

“You did. You left me! Abandoned me! Just like my father. Just like my mother. Just like my sister. All of you - gone! Only Rishid stayed with me. He doesn’t understand me, though. Only you ever did. And now, thanks to your pet, I have you again.”

As Marik leaned back, Yami saw satisfaction written all over the blond Egyptian’s face.

“Let you go, did you say?” The sadist pretended to think about it for a moment and then suddenly, his face lit up with pure glee. “Okay. I’ll let you free. Rishid! Help me set my bitch free. Untie him from the chair.”

“Yes, Master Marik.”

“Yami.”

“Yes, Master...Yami.”

A looming shadow stepped into the faint light of the floor lamps situated in a circle around them. It was the tattooed man, that led the kidnapping and assault in his flat. He must have been called Rishid.

“No. Please, get away.” Yami begged.

“But I thought you didn’t want to be tied to this chair? I’m being a good dom! You begged so nicely that I’m giving you your reward.”

“No. Please.” Yami sobbed. He didn’t know what Marik had planned, but it couldn’t be nice. He didn’t want to play this game.

“Shut!”

Slap!

“Up!”

Slap!

The Pharaoh’s face burned from the continued abuse across it.

As Rishid undid the knots tying Yami to the chair, the dom squirmed, refusing to be touched. Despite the horror he was already experiencing, Yami would not go down without fighting to his very last breath. He would not give Marik this satisfaction.

Rishid lifted Yami to his feet and turned back towards his Master.

“What would you like me to do with him now, Master Yami?” He asked, voice monotonous and courteous.

“Follow me.” Marik strutted past them and as he did so, he leaned in to whisper into Yami’s ear. “You’re going to love this next bit.”

Refusing to walk, the tattooed Egyptian dragged the Pharaoh instead to where Marik was leading them. They came to another ring of lights surrounding…

“No! Marik, you can’t!”

The blond turned to give Yami a very ugly sneer.

“I can do whatever the fuck I want! No one controls me. Not anymore. Rishid, put him in the cuffs.”

Yami flailed his arms and kicked out. He punched Rishid with all his strength, which wasn’t much considering the drug was still in his system and his body had experienced plenty of trauma already.

But he couldn’t do this!  
He wouldn’t!  
He didn’t deserve this!

“No-oo. Pl-please. Marik, don’t. Please. Nooo.” He begged, tears streaming down his puffy, bruised, bleeding face. “Please. Please, no. Marik.”

“It’s...YAMI!”

As he shouted the name, Marik punched the Pharaoh in the stomach, winding him and sending him keeling forward. If it wasn’t for the strong grip on his upper arm, Yami would have fallen to his knees, spluttering and gasping for breath.

The dom saw black blotches, as his vision swam and his chest burned. He was going to pass out again…

“Oh no you don’t!”

Once again Marik’s hand hit Yami's cheek, keeping him conscious. But barely. However, it did make it easier for Rishid to cuff him to the floor in a kneeling position, back to Marik.

Yami’s mind tried to fight back against the drowsiness, that was overtaking him. He knew he should be fighting, resisting, but he just couldn’t work up the energy anymore. Instead, he leaned against the thin pole, enjoying the cool metal against his heated face.

“Well, doesn’t this look good.” Marik praised, appreciating the sight of a kneeling Yami in leather cuffs and chains.

Without warning, the Pharaoh felt the teasing tails of a flogger against his back.

It woke his mind up.

“Marik, plea-ah!!” Yami keened, crying out in pain, as the tails whipped against his back through the thin cotton of his shirt.

“What is my name?” Marik asked, impatience evident in his voice.

“Marik. Fuck!”

“My name!”

“It’s - it’s Ma-owww.”

“What. Is. My. Name?” With each word, Marik rained the flogger down across the Pharaoh's back, who could do nothing against the onslaught, except try and arch his back away from it. On the last hit, the end of the tails ripped open the shirt and made contact with Yami’s smooth skin.

“Please.” Yami begged, sobbing into the pole. “Marik…”

As the next three hits made their mark on his tanned skin, Yami felt his mind go blank and darkness envelope him.

\-------------

The feeling of something cold caressing his stinging back roused Yami. He reflexively tried to get away from it, even before he processed, where he was. When he did, Yami renewed his efforts.

He was so exhausted.

His whole body was fuelled with adrenaline, but he had nowhere to run.  
And no energy left to fight.

But he would.  
He had to.

“Marik.” He slurred.

An insufferable sigh sounded next to him.

“How many times do we have to go through this, hmm? Don’t you want to be a good boy for me?” Marik sounded almost heartbroken at the mere thought that Yami wouldn’t want to be good.

“I just-I just want to go home…”

“But that’s a reward, my love. And you’re not being very good for me now, are you? Bad boys deserve punishments. If you make me happy then I might think about it.” The sadist cooed.

Yami whimpered.

How much more could he handle?

The broad metal drawing soothing patterns on his skin suddenly turned into a piece of metal that was thin. And sharp.

Yami tried to control his erratic breathing.

One false move and he would cut himself on the steel blade, that was near his rib cage. Marik wouldn’t have to do anything except hold it there! He bit his swollen lip to stop himself from crying out anymore. He needed to regain some dignity.  
To regain some dominance.

“Do you like that?” Marik inquired, almost as if they were at a wine tasting and he was asking about a sample glass.

Yami shook his head.

No.  
He didn’t like it.  
He didn't like anything that was happening.  
He just wanted someone to pinch him already and wake him up from this nightmare.

“Maybe you would? How would you know if you never try, hmm? If you want to grow, you have to push a few limits, dear baby.” He teased the blade on Yami’s delicate skin, enjoying the way the hair rose and goosebumps covered his flesh.

“Safeword!” Yami blurted out.

Marik stopped what he was doing, confused.

“What?”

“Safeword. I need a safeword.”

If Marik really wanted to be Yami’s dom then maybe, just maybe he'd maybe respect this.

“Fair enough. What would you like?”

“ _I don’t know.”_

_“That’s okay. Take your time. It’s important you choose carefully. It needs to be something you’ll remember in the midst of a scene, and something that won’t be appearing in a roleplay scene. That’s why we never use ‘stop.’” Yami explained to the young man._

_They'd been talking about the fine points of their contract for three hours now. Thankfully, they were almost done._

_“Umm,..” Marik closed his eyes and leaned his head back, thinking._

_A minute passed by._

_Then two._

_Almost three minutes went by in complete silence before Marik exclaimed, screaming his safe word into the air._

_“Phoenix!”_

_“Phoenix?”_

_“Yes. Phoenix. This is my rebirth. All my life people have told me what I have to do. What my future is. Well, this is something I control. Not my father. Not the council. Not investors. Not Ishizu. Me! I am the Phoenix. And I will not die but instead rise again, even stronger than before.” Marik’s eyes were alight with hope and aspiration._

_It warmed Yami’s heart and he grinned at his sub._

_“Alright then. Phoenix it is.”_

“Blue eyes!” Yami muttered.

“You mumbled. I don’t like mumbling, bitch.” Marik’s voice held a threatening tone to it.

“Blue eyes.” Yami exclaimed, as clear as he could with his injuries.

“Blue eyes.” The blond tested the words on his tongue, as if they were strange and foreign to him. “Like the card monster?”

“No…”

Like the love of his life.

“Whatever. It’s your choice. Now, where were we? Ah yes. I remember.” The blade pressed harder against his skin, starting to dig in, but before it could, Yami cried out.

“Blue eyes!”

Marik stopped.

“What did you say?”

“I said,” Yami panted, relief settling in his chest. “Blue eyes. You have to stop.”

“No I don’t.”

“But...it’s my safe word.”

“But I'm not your dom.”

With that, Marik laughed sadistically and dug the knife into Yami’s skin, cutting deep into his torso, enjoying the blood that seeped out of the wound, as Yami thrashed wildly, trying to escape the pain.

He did it again, and again.  
Carefully, with delicate precision.

Yami blacked out,

This time, when he came back, the Pharaoh found himself on the coarse stone floor. He was uncuffed and was untied.

Nothing was holding him back.

Gathering all of his meagre strength, he put one hand in front of him and pulled his body across the floor.  
Then he put his other hand in front of him and did the same thing.

Yami did that for maybe two feet, before a boot covered foot landed on his back, right above the welts, holding him in position.

Yami whimpered.

He should have known this was too good to be true.

“Ah. Ah. Ahhh. And where do you think you’re going?”

The Pharaoh shook his head and sighed.

“Nowhere.”  
Because it was the truth.

Yami knew this now.  
He would not be getting out of here.  
This was his doomed future.

“Good boy.” Marik purred, before he kicked Yami in the side with as much force as he could.

A stabbing, excruciating pain shot up through Yami’s side, as the foot collided with his ribs. He sobbed, tears streaming down his face, and bloody snot leaking from his broken nose.

Again, Marik kicked him.

Yami couldn’t do anything. He couldn’t even curl up into a ball, the pain was too much.

He could only lie there and take it, begging for unconsciousness to take him once more.

It did.

\-------------------

Once more, he found himself tied to the chair, unable to hold his head up and struggling to breathe. His breaths were raspy and his chest wheezed, straining with the effort. His head ached and his sides were so tender and painful. He was covered in blood from head to toe. Some of it was dried up and cracking, tugging on the fine hairs that covered his skin, while more blood seeped out of many different, severe cuts.

Resigned to his fate, there was just one question that infiltrated the fog in his mind.

“How?” He whispered, barely more than an exhalation of air.

“How, what?” Marik asked, sounding extremely bored.

Yami swallowed and started again.  
“How did you find me?”

Marik’s eyes gleamed at the memory.

“You might remember a certain art exhibition that was held here not too long ago. I, of course, was present. I am the curator of this place after all. However, it was the perfect opportunity to scoop out any potentially valuable assets my group could benefit from. I was in the storage room after the auction when I came across an address. Your address. After all, there’s only one Yami in Domino City. I copied it down and finally, I could get my revenge. You have no idea how long I have been planning this moment.”

Yami’s stomach coiled in repulsion.

So Marik had been there! He hadn’t imagined it. And that painting - the one Seto bought for him, the one he really wanted - was what brought this horror back into his life.

He was going to vomit.

Yami gagged, as bile travelled up his throat, the acid burning it and leaving a horrible taste in its wake. Swallowing it back down, he shuddered.

He had to get the control back!

Clenching his eyelids shut, he took a deep breath in, and then out, Yami opened his eyes.

Violet eyes meeting lilac ones, Yami decided to fight back.

“Congratulations. You found me. Now what? Hmm? Are you going to keep me locked down here as part of your own personal exhibition? People will find me. You know who my boyfriend is. Are you telling me you’re not even a tiny bit scared of him?”

A raucous round of laughter erupted from deep within Marik as if that was the funniest thing he’d ever heard.

“Me?” He gasped. “Scared of Seto Kaiba!? You really have grown funny, Pharaoh. Why would I ever be scared of a prissy rich boy?”

“You should be.”  
Yami and Marik both gasped in surprise as Seto emerged from the shadows, whacking the villainous Egyptian over the head with his steel briefcase. Marik collapsed to the floor, unconscious, blood seeping into a puddle on the grimy floor from a deep gash on his forehead.

Both Seto and Yami stared at the injured man lying on the floor before the sub turned to his wounded boyfriend.

“Yami.” He exclaimed in shock, voice choking on the name. Quickly, he ran over to him and caressed his hair.

Yami, however, flinched away from the loving touch. Seto retracted his hand as though it had been burnt. The Pharaoh looked at his lover and saw the pain and anguish in his crystal blue eyes. Guilt washed over him.

But he just...couldn’t.

“I’m sorry. I-I…” he trailed off, not knowing what to say. Exhaustion settled deep into his bones. He just wanted to sleep.

“It’s okay.” Seto tried brushing away all concern.

No one knew better than he did about not wanting to be touched after something like...well, something like this.

“I’m going to untie you now, and then we’ll get you out of here.” He announced, moving around the chair so he could undo the knots in the hemp rope binding Yami to the piece of furniture.

As the last part of rope fell to the floor, Yami bent over and wretched. His whole body shook like a leaf in the wind and he found it hard to breathe.

He just wanted to get out of the dark.

Seto ached to put his arms around the Pharaoh. To hold him tight and comfort him like Yami had done so many times before for him. But he held back, knowing Yami would be worse for it. The sub stood there awkwardly, trying to find a way to offer his assistance but failing.

He hated this.

However, they weren’t alone for long.

Many hurried footsteps echoed from above them, coming closer and closer. Yami’s panic increased, as Seto stepped in front of him, shielding him from view.

He could do this.

The door at the far end of the room burst open, bouncing off of the wall making a crashing sound that reverberated in the air, hurting their ears.

“Yami!” Came two frightened voices in unison as Anzu and Yugi rushed forward to see him. Before Seto could stop them from startling him, the police, who had escorted the young couple into the cellar, put a halt to their movements instead.

“Stand back. This is a crime scene. Mr Kaiba, you were told on the phone to stay outside.” The Sergeant reprimanded, although his voice didn’t hold much confidence as it quivered under Seto’s silent glare.

“What will you do? Arrest me? I did what I had to do to save my boyfriend from this lunatic. Now do your job and arrest him. We’re going to the hospital and then we’re going home.”

Yami stood on shaky legs, pain screaming at him with the effort, to follow Seto out of the room but the Sergeant stopped them again.

“But, sir, we, er...we need to question your um...boyfriend.” He stuttered.

“You can do that when he’s up for it.” The brunette ordered. He stood and glowered at the police officers before the sergeant gestured for them to move out of their way.

Seto led the way out, Yami coming slowly with Anzu and Yugi following.

Behind them, they heard one of the officers talk to the sergeant.

“Is he...dead?”

“No. He’s still breathing. Probably is nothing more than a concussion. Call for an ambulance and get forensics over here. Then you two follow the ambulance to the hospital. Cuff him once the doctors says you can and then let no one in or out unless they prove they need to be there. Radio me when he wakes. If, he wakes. You two, help track down those that fled. Move it!”

Not that Yami heard any of this. The sergeants words were just white noise ringing in his ears. The only thing he could understand was, that Seto had rescued him. His belief in his boyfriend was not just pure fantasy.

He looked up and caught Seto staring at him. Those azure pools were so expressive, yet so guarded. But love always shone in them, whenever Seto looked at Yami. The dom had seen them scared and in pain. He had seen them twinkle with mischief and laughter. He had seen them stern and stubborn. He had seen them soft and gentle, wide with admiration.

He loved those eyes.  
And they had saved him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Na'am is 'Yes' in Arabic
> 
> Soooo. How did you all like that?  
> (Please don't come at us with pitchforks and torches!)
> 
> We'll see you next time!
> 
> Love you all!  
> <3


	19. Coz I'm wishing and praying and hoping Knowing my heart will be broken, Darling my love is your token Do you, do you wanna play?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends.  
> We have been gone for a while.  
> We know.  
> But this fic is not abandoned.  
> We just have a lot going on in our lives.  
> And we don't want to rush it so you can fully enoy the content. 
> 
> This is a lot of hurt/comfort right here for you.  
> So basic trigger warning for angst and panic attacks.

There was a gentle knock at the door. Head heavy, Yami turned it ever so slightly to see who it was.

Standing in the doorway, looking completely exhausted but relatively fine, was Seto. His tie had been discarded and his suit jacket was hanging over his arm. The top two buttons had been undone of his shirt, which was wrinkled and covered in specks of blood.

_ Yami’s blood. _

He looked unsure and clearly pained at seeing his boyfriend this way. The day had definitely aged all of them.

Yami managed to muster up the faintest smile, but immediately stopped as the wounds reminded him that they were still there.

Straight away, Seto was by his side.

“Do you need me to fetch the nurse? When was the last time you had painkillers?”

Yami just indicated to the IV bags he was attached to. Seto’s eyebrows creased together before he understood what was being said: one of the bags were painkillers.

“Oh. Okay.” Seto looked crestfallen and lost, not knowing what he could do to help. What he really wanted was to offer a comforting touch - a cuddle or a reassuring hand to hold. However, that would just be counterproductive.

To treat Yami, the doctors had needed to sedate him, as blind panic had taken over his entire being, lashing out at whoever dared to touch him.

It broke those closest to him.

Anzu had to take Yugi away from the scene just so he could release his own emotions. Seto...well Seto could only do what he did best: close off from his emotions and shout at some idiots.

That had been a few hours ago.

In that time, Yami had received multiple x-rays, an MRI and even an ultrasound just so the doctors could see the extent of the trauma inside.

Thankfully, there didn’t seem to be any serious injuries. There was no visible head trauma apart from a mild concussion, however the doctors did say he would need monitoring just to be certain. There was still a risk of memory loss. His vital organs seem to be working fine and there was no sign of internal bleeding. The most severe injuries were a broken nose, two cracked ribs, and the deep cuts Marik had made on his side. The rest were superficial cuts and bruises that would ache for a while. 

Overall, he got very lucky.

It would be the mental scars he'd struggle to overcome.

Seto fidgeted at the doorway, resisting the urge to run.

It was his time to show, that he loved Yami as much as Yami loved him.

But how?

“Are you just going to stand there?” 

A hoarse, exhausted voice croaked.

Seto snapped his head up and stared at the broken figure surrounded by tubes and wires. His eyes were shut and he wasn’t even looking at the CEO, but he had definitely spoken. 

Seto took the seat next to the bed. He sat stiffly on the edge of the chair, refusing to move.

Or look at Yami, despite he continued to watch the IV.

If he looked at him, Seto knew that the anger and want for revenge would consume him. He wanted to murder this...monster.

Whoever this person was.

“You’re thinking too much.” Yami mumbled. “Stop it.”

“I’m sorry.” Seto choked out.

With a groan, Yami turned his head to stare at the brunet, who had so selflessly rescued him. He could see there were purple bruises under his eyes from a lack of sleep and overwhelming emotions.

“Why?” He inquired.

Seto had nothing to apologise for.

“Because…”

“Seto?”

With a large sigh, Seto thought about what he would say. It shook him to the core to even mentally formulate his thoughts. 

“Because...because you’re...hu-urt-t. And I-I couldn't…couldn’t st-stop it!” Tears started falling unbidden from his eyes. That just enraged him more. 

He had no right to be upset. It was Yami who had been kidnapped. And tortured. Beaten and choked. It was Yami who was in a hospital. Not Seto.

It should be Yami crying that he got hurt. Not Seto!

Roughly, the CEO rubbed his eyes, blinking the tears away. 

He.

Would..

Not.

Cry!

“Seto. Look at me.”

No.

He couldn’t.

He couldn’t look at Yami.

“Now, Seto.”

Reluctantly, he lifted his eyes to see tears and...remorse?

“This isn’t your fault. This is...this is mine. Do not, and this is an order, do not beat yourself up over this.” Yami looked up at the ceiling, silent tears rolling down his swollen, cut face.

“It isn’t yours either!” Seto almost shouted. “This is that sadistic psycho’s fault! He had no right! No reason! I hope he rots for all eternity and if I see him again…”

Seto couldn’t finish what he was thinking. If truth was told, he didn’t know what he would do. And even if he did, it wouldn't be clever to scream about it in a hospital. 

He knew this anger. 

He’d experienced this anger for most of his life.

But this time…

This time it was the person he loved that had been wronged, and not himself.

This time it was worse.

“It wasn’t just his fault, Seto. He’s not himself.” Yami whispered, voice broken.

Seto stopped whatever mental tirade he was on, and looked at his partner.

“Who is he?” He finally braved to ask.

Yami let out a long-suffering sigh, wincing as it tugged at his stitches in his side.

“It’s a long story.”

“I have time.”

Yami stared.

And nodded.

“His name is Marik. He’s the curator of the museum. He became it after his father died. And, for a while, he was my sub.”

Seto’s eyebrows rose and his eyes widened in shock. 

He hadn’t expected that.

But then again, it sounded like the most logical answer.

“So...what happened?”

“It all went wrong. He was the first sub I ever took on without assistance or anymore training to do. I was inexperienced and didn’t really know what I was doing. Here he was, a young man with a troubled life, asking me to dominate him. And he liked pain. And the more sadistic stuff. He was a true masochist. As the relationship went on, he started asking for darker stuff and his anger grew. His obsession grew. His father died very early on, and Marik had a troubled relationship with him. At the same time, it really hurt him, that his father died. He had many unresolved issues with him that he could never resolve. And...he blamed himself for it. As time went on, he started getting into crime. He was no longer the person I took under my wing. He was changed. Dangerous. I had to terminate the contract. He didn’t take it well. I ended up getting a restraining order on him. Moved here, created my own studio and changed my name. It protected me for a while. But he found me again. And this is the result.”

Yami closed his eyes, and started to cry silently, as the reality of the situation hit him. It slowly increased in intensity, until it was a full blown, ugly sob. Everything he'd been holding back since he'd received the letter came pound out of him in waves of heart wrenching cries. Without thinking, Seto reached out to comfort him, but Yami jerked away.

“Don't touch me!” He screeched, eyes wide like a prey animal facing the jaws of its predator.

Seto retracted his hand as though he’d been burned.

“Just...I need space. Please, give me space.”

Seto nodded.

He got up and walked to the door. The sub looked back to see Yami staring at the ceiling once again, cheeks covered in wet tracks. Sighing, he left.

\-----------------

“I’m fine!” Yami grumbled, as he was led over to the couch.

“You’re still on bedrest!” Yugi responded.

“Says who?”

“Oh I don’t know. Maybe...your doctor?” Seto replied.

Yami turned to glare at him, eyes narrowed.

“Are you being cheeky with me?”

“No. I'm telling the truth.”

“Whatever.”

With a groan, Yami lowered himself onto the couch, the deep cuts on his side irritating him.

It had been one and a half weeks since the kidnapping, and the Pharaoh had just been released from hospital under strict orders not to do anything.

While the superficial cuts had scanned over and were now a mixture of faint red lines, the deeper injuries were still in the early stages of healing. Particularly the two on his side.

It was nice to be home though.

Or at least, Seto’s home.

Yami couldn't even think about going back to his flat. The thought terrified him and threw him into the grip of panic. Sleep did the same thing.

So he didn’t sleep.

When he did eventually pass out from exhaustion, he would wake very quickly in terror and a blanket of sweat.

Thankfully, the bruises caused by his broken nose hid the bruises caused by lack of sleep. 

He couldn’t bring himself to tell anyone the truth.

They were already still worried about him. If he told them that Yami was back in the basement every time he shut his eyes, well, he would give them even less peace than they had now. 

And that was already none.

Not really.

“Stop hovering!” He complained, snapping at his brother and boyfriend. “Go and get me some water. You can take my bags upstairs.”

“Yes, boss.” Yugi muttered, heading towards the kitchen. Seto, on the other hand, hesitated. He was reluctant to leave Yami alone.

“Go! I’ll be fine for a few minutes.”

He didn't know if he was lying more to Seto or to himself. 

Swallowing his doubt, Seto grabbed the bags and took them upstairs.

As the CEO left, Yami sighed. 

Peace at last.

A second later, Yugi entered the room, carrying a pint glass of water with ice cubes in it.

Silently groaning in frustration, Yami forced a smile and muttered a halfhearted 'thank you' at his twin.

He did do as he was asked to, after all.

“You’re welcome.” Yugi replied, handing the glass over, worry swimming in his eyes like a ship refusing to sink. 

As he did, the smaller twin’s fingers brushed against the older one's causing him to jump in fear at the touch. The glass was knocked to the floor, its contents spilling everywhere and smashing as it connected with laminated flooring.

Yami flinched even more.

He was no longer sitting in the warm, comfortable room of the Kaiba mansion. Instead he was tied to a chair in a cold, dark basement. It wasn’t Yugi in front of him. It was Marik.

“Please. Please get away. I’m sorry. Just please don’t hurt me anymore!” He wailed, begging for mercy, eyes glazed over in terror.

Yugi didn’t know what to do.

“Atem, it’s okay. Shhh. It’s me, Yugi. You’re safe.”

“No! Just please leave me alone. Please!” Tears were falling fast down his cheeks, soaking into his shirt collar.

Just then, Seto reappeared. He rushed to Yugi’s side the moment he heard the sobbing.

“What’s-?”

“I don’t know!” Yugi announced in hushed desperation. “I was handing him a glass and then...I touched him! Our fingers, they connected. It must have triggered him or something.” 

Seto just nodded, understanding consuming him.

“I think it’s best if you leave...”

Yugi did.

“Yami, it’s okay. He’s gone. I’m here now. Seto.” He whispered soothingly.

Ever so slowly, Yami’s eyes cleared as his situation came back to him. He saw bright blue eyes observing him with concern. He felt the plush leather of the luxurious couches. He could smell the fresh scent of his shirt and feel the breeze from the open windows.

He was at home.

“Seto?”

“I’m here.”

Curling into a ball, Yami started to violently shake, panic overwhelming him.

It had felt so real.

“Hey. It’s okay, Yami. I have you. I'm not leaving, and I won't let anyone hurt you. Shhh.”

Eventually, the sobs subsided but Seto continued whispering comforting, consoling words until Yami’s breathing evened out into the tell tale signs of sleep. As Seto continued to kneel in front of the sofa, a head popped around the door.

“Is he okay?” Yugi whispered, agitation evident in each syllable.

Seto shrugged.

“No. But he’s sleeping for now.” His voice was detached, unwilling to show how much he was worried. 

And scared.

When he heard nothing from the doorway, he looked behind him to see Yugi crying where he stood.

“Why are you crying?”

“Because...I did this. I should have been more careful!”

“This isn’t your fault!” Seto announced sternly. “This is the psycho's fault! No one else's.”

Yugi just nodded, taking deep breaths to calm himself.

“I’m just going to…” he vaguely pointed towards the kitchen. The brunet nodded. He understood Yugi needed space.

He watched as the twin headed into the kitchen, and heard the rush of water as a tap was turned on and the clanging of pans. Seto turned back to Yami, taking in the details of his face. The way his brows were furrowed.

He sighed.

This was going to take a while.

\-------------------

Two months later and things still hadn’t improved.

Yami had had his stitches removed a week after returning home from the hospital. The wounds had scarred over two weeks after that.

Physically he looked...okay.

Or at least, better than he had looked after they had found him in the cellar. 

Anyone could tell he wasn’t himself, however.

His eyes were bruised and gaunt. Soulless. It was caused by extreme exhaustion, since he was still refusing to sleep. The crying had stopped at least, which helped improve the way his eyes appeared. Before, they were constantly puffing and bloodshot. Yami took that as a win and show of progress.

The rest was not convinced.

It was almost like he was in a dissociative state. 

He ate. 

He drank. 

He showered.

But only because he knew he had to. To appear normal.

He had lost weight and muscle definition because he only ate the bare minimum. Yami refused to go out of the house to do some exercise, yet he didn’t do any inside either. He remained seated in the living room for most of the day, unwilling to do anything.

It was like he was in a trance.

And no one knew how to help.

Seto in particular was at a loss of what to do.

Despite the initial comfort Yami had taken on having his boyfriend near, he quickly distanced himself from him. It had gotten to the point where Yami would leave if Seto was in the same room as him.

And Seto didn’t know why.

A wall had been built between them and Seto was scared to break it down, fearing that Yami would resent him forever if he did so. At the same time, if he did nothing, the wall would only grow until it became impenetrable.

That was why he now found himself in the staff room of Kane Game studio, sat opposite Yugi, tears streaking his face.

“Just breath, Seto. Come on. In...out. In...out. In...out. That’s it, keep going. In...out. In...out. In...out. Good. Just keep that up. Don’t try talking, just focus on breathing. Shh. There we go. That’s good.”

When the feeling of being unable to breath had passed, Seto accepted a glass of water, taking tiny sips and grounding himself. He sighed. There was a time when he hadn't been alone with this, when someone was with him to deal with his panic, but now, this someone was the cause of it. 

“What do I do?” He asked dejectedly, tracing his finger across the grooves of the wooden table.

“I don’t know.” 

Silence encompassed them, both lost in their worry of the person they both loved.

Yugi let out a long-suffering sigh.

“Talk to him.” The twin suggested.

Seto laughed. It was manic and lacked any sort of humour.

“How? He won’t even stay in a room with me for a minute! So tell me, how the fuck can I talk to him!?”

“I don’t know.”

“That’s very helpful. Thank you, Yugi. I’m so pleased I came to you for your great wisdom and insight.”

“You think I’ve done this before?” The normally quiet, easygoing man snapped. The months of worry and frustration and fear finally tumbling out of him. “My brother was tortured. He was almost killed for fucks sake! I don’t know how the fuck to help him. All I know is that he is lost and scared and won’t talk to anyone. And I don’t know what to do!” The twin dropped his head into his hands, shoulders trembling as he gripped his multicoloured hair in anguish.

Seto gulped down a lump that had formed in his throat at Yugi’s heartbreaking scene.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered.

Yugi looked up.

His eyes were blurred with tears, and snot had started to leak from his nose. Shakily, he grabbed a tissue and blew it.

“Why?” Yugi whispered.

“Because, I didn’t mean to snap. I-I know you’re suffering as much as I am. I just...i’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s not your fault. It’s the psycho’s fault. All of it.”

Seto just bobbed his head in agreement.

They had to remind themselves and each other of it, nearly constantly. 

They sat in tense silence for a while, both racking their brains for something to do to help. Anything.

“The only time Yami’s ever been similar to this, was when our grandfather died.” Yugi suddenly announced.

“What happened?”

“He threw himself into making the studio. Solomon - our grandfather - left me the game shop, and Yami the money to start his own business. One day, eventually, Yami just broke down and allowed himself to process his grief. But that was almost a year later. Once he did that, we were able to move on.”

“Huh.” Seto pondered on the information he just heard.

“So he does need to talk?”

“Yes. Except…”

“Except?”

“This time, it’s different. This time he was physically and mentally abused. Last time he was just grieving and heartbroken. Yami will have all of his defenses up. It will be hard to talk to him. And... he'll only talk when he wants to. When he’s ready. Until then, there’s nothing we can do except show him we’re still there.”

“I understand.”

\-----------------------

“Hey.”

Mokuba looked up from the television to see Yami hovering close by, almost as if he was nervous to be there.

“Hey! Yami. Come and sit down.” Mokuba moved his legs off of the couch and onto the floor to make room for the Pharaoh.

Despite living in the same house for two months, Mokuba and Yami hadn’t been alone together once. Until now.

Hesitantly, Yami sat down beside the raven haired teen.

“What are you watching?”

“A documentary about the sea. This episode is about deep sea creatures. It’s fascinating!”

“Tell me about it?”

“Sure! Right now, they’re discussing about how people found two different ecosystems miles under the sea. Yet they don’t rely on any form of sun at all. There’s all sorts of different creatures and plant life in both of them.”

“That’s pretty fascinating.”

“It is. Also, there’s a creature that looks like a condom with frills. Which is pretty cool.” Mokuba turned to smirk at Yami, who tilted his head and laughed.

It was almost like he’d forgotten what it felt like to smile and feel something except numb pain and misery. slowly easing into it, he just continued to laugh until his sides hurt, not because of the cuts, but because he felt so much joy.

Mokuba beamed.

He knew Yami had been struggling, despite rarely being at home to see him. He could see it in Seto’s face and in the way he spoke. His eyes were different and his mind was constantly preoccupied.

To hear and see Yami laugh meant everything.

Mokuba couldn’t wait to tell Seto.

As the final chuckles died down, Mokuba pressed play on the remote again, and they settled into a comfortable silence on the sofa until the episode finished.

“You were right,” Yami started turning to face his friend. “That was very interesting.”

“I’m always right.” The youngest Kaiba announced with a cocky grin.

Yami rolled his eyes but nodded his head in agreement.

“That's true. You’re extremely clever.” The atmosphere turned tense as Yami bit his lip, fidgeting with his hands. Mokuba squinted but waited, sensing there was something the former dom wanted to say.

“I heard that...I have you to thank for...you know.” Yami continued to look at his entwined fingers, his heart beating furiously in his chest.

Mokuba, meanwhile, choked up.

“That's not really necessary but… you’re welcome.” He muttered.

An awkward silence blanketed them, before Mokuba pressed on.

“How are you feeling? You know…”

Yami just shrugged.

“I can’t sleep.” He finally admitted. “Each time I do, I'm back there. I just...I can’t cope.” Rapidly, he blinked the tears away.

He couldn't start crying again.

It had stopped.

He didn’t want to cry again.

“I understand that. Seto was the same with Gozaboru. It took him years. And by years I mean from the age of ten until he met you, to be able to sleep properly.”

Yami snapped his head around to look at the teenager. To say he was shocked was an understatement.

“Really?”

“Yup. You have no idea how much you helped him move past all of that. I mean, I don’t really know what went on, but I have a very good idea. You changed his life for the better, Yami. And if anyone can help you now, it’s Seto. That doesn't mean I won’t try though. You’re family. We do anything for family. And if you can’t stand on your own at the moment, then lean on us. Don’t push us away, okay?”

“Okay.” Yami whispered, overcome with emotion. Mokuba and Yami exchanged one last pained smile together, before they started watching the next episode of the series. 

Yami’s mind was elsewhere however.

He needed to speak to Seto.

\--------------------

A wonderful, amazing sound echoed around the kitchen, attracting Seto to it like a moth to a flame the moment he entered the mansion.

As he walked into the spacious, modern room, he saw Yami leaning on the countertops with his phone pressed to his ear. Unaware that Seto was watching, Yami let out a bellowing laugh.

“That’s true!”

A pause, as the person on the other line spoke.

“Okay...Okay...Yeah, I will...Alright. I’ll see you then. Thank you.”

With a soft, almost saddened, smile, Yami hung up. It was then that he noticed Seto.

The mood shifted instantly, and Yami suddenly looked like he was ready to run. Seto expected it.

To their surprise however, Yami remained where he was, crossing his arms and watching his boyfriend apprehensively.

“Who was that?” Seto asked, hoping to have a conversation with his partner.

He would cling to any information he could get to do so, even if Yami wanted to talk about bubble gum wrappers. 

“An old friend.” A small smile tugged on Yami's face, as he went back over the conversation. Spending time with Mokuba, followed by the call had really cheered him up. This was the best day he’d had in what felt like forever.

“An old friend?” For some reason, Seto’s insides churned and his heart felt like it was locked in a tight, unyielding grip. Anger surged through his veins and he frowned.

“Uh-huh.”

“So You mean Pegasus?” He spat the name as if it were poison, leaving a bitter taste in his tongue.

Of course it would be Pegasus!

Yami didn’t speak to Seto for fucking weeks despite the fact that he was the one to rescue him and soothe him in the beginning. Not even a 'hi' is sent his way anymore. But of course Pegasus could make him laugh. Of course Pegasus got phone calls while he was out, crying at a loss to help him. Maybe if he could suck dick as good as Pegasus, then maybe he could have a 'hi'. Maybe if he were a better, more experienced sub, he could get a 'thank you' when he left him a drink. Maybe if he had silver hair instead of brown, he could get a glance every now and then.

But of course, he was not Pegasus.

He was Seto, and apparently he was not good enough for him.

“What do you mean? Pegasus?”

“Well that's clearly who you were speaking too!” Seto couldn’t help the jealousy that leached into his voice.

Yami observed Seto, for the first time since the man had rescued him. He was shocked and scared at what he saw.

Seto’s skin was pasty white and gaunt looking. His eyes were as dark as Yami’s, and probably for the same reason. Yet they were also puffy, the whites were a faint red.

He’d been crying.

Yami felt distraught.

This man, in front of him, was his to protect. To look after.

He was his sub.

And more importantly, he was the love of his life.

Instead of keeping him close, he’d pushed him away.

“I’m sorry.” Yami whispered.

It was Seto’s turn to look confused.

“Why?”

“Because...I’ve hurt you. I didn't mean to! I just...I don’t know why I pushed you away. Seto, I’m sorry.” Yami cried, moving to embrace the taller man.

Instead of fear claiming him at the touch, Yami just felt the need to be closer.

Suddenly, he almost wanted to crawl into his lover. Panic settled into his heart. 

He had heard Seto's voice. His tone. Noticed the way he talked. Yami was well aware that this wasn't going to work forever. He was pushing his lover away, and at some point he'd push too much, and Seto would stop trying to reach him and just accept to drift away. 

He had to do something. 

Anything. 

He had to change.

Himself, their situation, Seto's feelings. He had to win back the man that had saved him. His grip tightened possessively. 

"Where were you?" 

It came out of nowhere. For weeks they barely spoke. Yami had just been laughing on the phone with another man. It didn't matter that it wasn't Pegasus. 

Had Seto been with someone else? He had cried. Obviously. So he had cried in the arms of another man. Now that Yami realised that, he smelled it. 

Smelled aftershave on Seto that wasn't his. His hair smelled of a different shampoo. Not only his face had changed, Seto had, and right in front of his eyes. Under his nose, the man he loved had turned into a stranger. And Yami hadn't noticed. 

"Where were you?"

He repeated the question, full of panic, before his partner could even answer. 

"Why do you smell of other men?" 

It knotted his stomach painfully, and this time it weren't the stab wounds hurting him. 

Seto tilted his head, confusion evident. 

"I was with... Yugi. I told you." 

"You don't smell like Yugi!" 

Yami's tone was accusing. Now Seto was lying to him, too! That was worse than him smelling like a stranger. 

The taller man looked flabbergast.

"I.. Changed my bath products. All of them. After… you know. Whenever I was close you were distraught. I thought, maybe if I smelled different… but that's been months now." 

"I didn't notice…"

Yami looked shocked at the reveal, but it was obvious he had his doubts in the way his eyes sparkled. 

"You didn't notice." 

In contrast, Seto's tone was almost cold, free from most emotions and feelings. He had mentally distanced himself from everything, just to survive, and now that he'd cried his last tears in the studio, there was nothing left. 

Yami was flooded with urgent want he hadn't felt since the day Marik had taken so much from him. It wasn't sexual, but the level of desperation was similar. 

Remembering the talk with Mokuba, he suddenly felt like everything slipped through his fingers. He had to get back into his game, or he'd lose everything he had worked so hard for! 

"Kneel." 

It came out almost as a bark. He had to be strong! Strong for Seto! For Yugi! For Mokuba! For Mai and all the others! 

He'd been weak the last few weeks, like pudding without a spine. 

Seto hadn't been sleeping before they met. 

Seto had been sleeping once they got together.

Seto wasn't sleeping now. 

To Yami's panicking, sleep deprived brain, there was only one answer. He'd have to immediately get their relationship back on track, or he would lose everything. 

And what better way was there but to start a scene? Once Seto would be crawling to his feet again, he'd remember how much he loved Yami! He'd be able to sleep again! He wouldn't need to smell like other people anymore! They would be  _ happy  _ once he managed to  _ just get back to his old self!  _

"I'm… Sorry?" 

Seto thought he had misheard his partner. 

"I'm not going to kneel… sorry Yami but this is neither the time nor place to-" 

"Stop talking! Get on all fours!" 

The sub frowned. 

He knew this was bullshit. Yami was in no way able to guide him right now. Seto was firmly convinced Yami wouldn't be able to guide himself in this moment. 

"Sorry Yami but-"

He didn't get to finish that sentence either, because a hand struck him into his face. 

"It's Pharaoh. Now kneel!" 

Yami looked like he would start to cry any minute. Instead of obeying, Seto held his cheek and shook his head. 

"No, we aren't going to-" 

Smack. 

Yami's lip quivered. Why was Seto not listening to him? What was he doing wrong? Once he had been respected. His word had been law. Now his own boyfriend, his most beloved sub, was not listening to him anymore! 

There was another person involved. Yami was sure. "Who is he? What can he give to you I can't? Am I not hard enough with you? Strict enough? My body might be broken but…" 

Tears started to leak from his eyes. 

There was no way to finish this sentence. His body was broken. His mind was broken. His pride was broken. His trust was broken. And apparently, his relationship, too. 

Just another thing Marik had taken from him. 

"There is no one else!" 

After speaking hastily, Seto flinched as if he was expecting to be slapped again. In fact, he was. Whatever was going on with Yami, it was not understandable. Not reasonable. Not predictable. 

For the first time in his life, submitting to Yami now filled him with fear instead of anticipation. 

"Who else should there be… I've been here night and day, trying to care for you and Mokuba and the company…" 

Yami blinked. 

Seto caring for him. That was wrong. 

But what was even more wrong was the way his partner had flinched. It painfully reminded Yami about himself. 

Was that why he had avoided Seto? 

Because he saw himself in the helplessness and sadness? In the anger and frustration? The naive love? 

"I'm going to make everything better now. I'm back. Please don't leave me. I promise I'll fix it. See?" He hugged Seto tightly. 

"I'll fix it! Everything will be fine and I'll be back in no time and you can  _ sleep  _ again and you will fall in love with me again and forget whoever else there-" 

"There is no one else, Yami. And I won't leave you." 

He chuckled bitterly, his eyes big and filled with panic. "I said the same to Marik. I wouldn't leave him. Ha. Well I guess I did, right? I guess I left and he followed me and he found me and he took me and he…" 

"You need to breathe!" 

Seto took his shoulders, trying to get Yami to focus on him. 

"You're having a panic attack Yami, please, look at me, breathe with me. I'm here for you…" 

His wild eyes found his partner, but Yami didn't see anything. The world spun more and more, he was unable to breathe, he was choking, back in the cellar, hands closing around his neck,  _ he was choking,  _ he'd pass out… 

\------

When he woke on the sofa two hours later, his body felt heavy and dirty, strained with sweat and tears. He was alone. Seto must have parked him here, since there was no way Yami had made it to the sofa on his own. 

Seto! 

Where was he? 

Obviously not here. 

Obviously somewhere else.

With someone else? 

Someone, that would help him sleep again? 

Yami felt bile rising and stopped himself from vomiting only through pure force of will. 

He was completely alone in this world now, all because he wasn't sufficient as a Dom. No one loved him anymo- 

His self deprecating thought was snapped in half when Seto entered with a tray full of food and drinks. 

When that was placed onto the table, he knelt down next to the sofa, his eyes steadily on Yami. 

"Tell me if you want me to leave."

"Please don't go. I just…" 

He exhaled heavily. Seto hadn't abandoned him. Seto was a good sub.

And he hadn't played with him! In over two months! He was the worst dom in existence. Maybe Marik was right. What if Seto secretly thought so, too? What if he suddenly realized Yami was a bad person?

He began to hyperventilate anew.

"I'll play with you! Yes! And you'll love it! And I'll be a good dom and there will be no reason to choose someone else!" 

Tears sprang to his eyes, Yami's voice uncharacteristically high and begging. 

"Oh God please don't choose someone else!" 

Seto only shook his head, the confusion evident. Why would he? He loved this man, after all.

"I'd never leave you, Yami." 

"Marik said that, too! Before he started his illegal shit! He promised me never to hurt me and…" 

The rest of the sentence was swallowed in hiccupy sobs. 

Seto's faced hardened to a mask. 

"I'm not Marik. You might mistake me. I was the man that got you  _ away  _ from that psychopath." 

Yami's lip quivered anew. That tone stung. Before, no one had talked to him like that. 

Maybe he should punish Seto…

Yes. A little play time to convince him he was still a worthy dom! And that Seto could still learn from him even though he was broken! 

"Meet.. meet me upstairs in 15 minutes."

And Yami was gone in seconds. It was weird. Seto couldn't even stop him. 

"What for?" 

He tried to ask the former Pharaoh a little louder, while he ran up the stairs. 

"Yami???"

"Be on time!!!”

\-------

Seto had no idea what he should be on time for, but when he entered their once shared bedroom, he found Yami in… Was that a latex dress? He was holding a riding crop and his eyes were blown with crazed determination. 

He shook his head in shock. This was neither safe, nor sane, nor consensual. 

When Yami noticed Seto pushing him away, he broke down. He fell to his knees, crying desperately, sure that this was over now, and that he had fucked up upsomehow by being… a broken toy. 

No longer good for playing, therefore useless. 

Seto dropped to the floor, too, and extended his arms gently in Yami's direction. 

"Can I touch you?" 

"Why- … Would… why…-" Sobs shook the normally dominant man. "Why would you… Want that?" 

"Because I love you!" 

That was like a bucket of cold water thrown into Yami's face. 

"But.. but I.. fucked up…" 

"I did, too. Countless times. You never pushed me away." 

"Because I.. I love you…" 

Realisation seemed to dawn on Yami's face.

"Oh." 

"Yeah." 

"Yeah." 

\------------

The next few weeks, they took it slow. There were no hurried scenes. No early first times and no rushed hundredths times. 

They slowly built themselves back up. 

Casual touches. Kisses on the cheek. 

The corner of the mouth. The lips.

A hand in the other's hand, on their shoulder, on their leg.

A rushed proclamation of love here, hour long talks there, both driven by stubbornness not to fuck up again. Or at least to talk about it. 

Seto took Yami to bed and stayed next to his side throughout the night. Yami slept on the sofa in Seto's office. Sometimes at night he left the guest bedroom and crawled under Seto's blanket. Sometimes they went to sleep cuddled together as if they could piece each other back together when they only squeezed hard enough. 

And maybe they could. 

Seto brushed Yami's hair, washed his face, helped him shower, bathed him fully. 

He kissed Yami's slightly crooked nose, kissed his ribs, kissed the initials Marik had carved into his side. He'd get a tattoo to cover the scars once they were healed enough. Yami hadn't decided yet, of what. 

Maybe a phoenix. 

Maybe a seahorse. 

Maybe just a black circle with the words "I lived". 

He still woke up screaming, but both of them did. Seto's nightmares of his own torture were expanded now. They never spoke about what happened in the dreams. They stayed silent and kissed the pain away, no longer talking about what tried to kill them and now focusing on why they wanted to live, anyway.

After two more months, Yami climbed into his bed with intent. The night in the museum cellar was many months ago at this point, and he was stubbornly moving forward. Tonight it would be half a year. Six months of recovery and pain and holding back. He had decided that he would reclaim his body tonight. If Seto would let him. 

He did. 

It was slow at first. Careful. Almost timid. They had to relearn their bodies. But there was no pressure and a lot of love. For hours, they shared nothing but cuddles and kisses. Silent promises of what would come. 

In time, both forgot why they had even waited. Half a year was a long time without intimacy, when you held your partner every night, and they both moaned into soft, tender touches. 

It was over before it even started. Embarrassingly quick, for both of them. 

But at least they were embarrassed together and they laughed a little. 

Then, they kissed and tried for a second round, but their bodies were too stiff and rusty. It didn't matter. They had shared a moment of warm, arousing intimacy together, and Marik hadn't been able to steal that from them, even though he stole a lot of other things.

Yami had spent Christmas in Seto's lap and new year's in his arms. They had a lot of guests and made a point of celebrating the holidays with the studio family.

The Pharaoh hadn't returned yet, Yugi and Mai managing the finances and logistics.

But Yami started to visit the studio more often and for January, he wanted to reopen his tomb to a few selected clients. 

He had to build his confidence back up. 

But once he entered the room, he had no idea how. The throne looked too big. The bed too wide. The dressing and storage room too small. It was suffocating him. 

Seto helped him renovate. They moved the clinic room downstairs. Yami couldn't keep the tomb. It reminded him too much of a cellar. 

January came and passed without any clients and the world was silent around Yami, but it kept running for everyone else. 

Seto watched the police work on Marik, the way they tried to piece back together what had happened. Sooner than later, he was sent behind bars. But Seto was unsure. It was obvious they hurried things to not get in conflict with him and he appreciated it. 

They had actively held the media away from the case, not wanting to out Yami or him like this. There were speculations, why "the Pharaoh" was so silent suddenly, but Kaiba had a good social media team that kept posting in his name. Sometimes they took pictures with Yugi from behind, making them look like paparazzi shots so they could blur them and explain the weird lighting, that made his skin "lighter". 

No one noticed what happened behind closed doors. And Yami was grateful. 

In February, he entered the studio again, visiting his new room. It was next to the staircase and on the same floor as the pet play room. 

The whole gang had taken care of it and they were all there. Jou crawled to him on all fours, panting excitedly to see his friend and master of the house again. They had met in between, of course, but… this was different. 

Leaning down, Yami took the keys from him. Or attempted to. Jou wanted to play and shook his head, dragging them out of Yami's grasp and he withdrew his hand in shock. 

When he noticed what he'd done, Jou whimpered and crawled back forward, rolling onto his back and offering the keys again, this time with big apologetic puppy eyes. 

Yami took them hesitantly and unlocked the door. 

What he found looked like the chambers of a Pharaoh, but not like his tomb. 

Less like a hidden sex cellar for pleasure and more like intimate quarters decorated with love for the detail. 

On the bed, Seto was waiting, smiling the softest smile. Something was laying next to him. Someone? 

Yami walked closer. 

He knew the other person on the bed, but that didn't mean it wouldn't startle him. 

There, in his playroom, in bed with his partner, was Ryou Bakura. Curled together and apparently sleeping peacefully. 

It made no sense to him. 

He hadn't seen the relatively new client in months. Why was he in bed with his boyfriend? Why was Seto  _ stroking his back _ ? 

Ryou was dressed in the typical kitten attrite he had gotten him months ago. His ears, his fluffy tail, his harness. Now he was wearing a white, fuzzy sweater, too, because it was cold, even with heating. 

"Hello Pharaoh." 

Seto stood up from the bed and dropped to his knees in front of his partner, resting his head against his thigh. 

The Dom wasn't the imposing force anymore that he used to be. But he wasn't the mess he had become, either. 

Absentmindedly, he played with Seto's hair and looked at the bed, fixating Ryou with great interest. 

Then, he returned his attention to Seto. 

"Hello my love. It's beautiful. Everything in here is beautiful. Thank you so much. You did a great job." 

He knelt down to press a kiss to Seto's nose. Yami still struggled to talk to him from a raised position. 

"Can you tell me, what he's doing here? I don't mind, I'm just… confused." 

The sub beamed up at him. 

"Cats were holy to the ancient Egyptians! I got you a guardian spirit…" 

"Oh Seto…" 

His face softened considerably. 

Yami's jealous boyfriend had gotten him another sub to show his respect? That was… beautiful. 

"I met him last month. He was… Playing with Mai. He recognised me. Asked about you. We… talked a lot. His name is Ryou! Oh but… you know that, right?" 

Yami nodded, not wanting to interrupt. 

"He's… a kitten! You know that, too. But… I didn't. I only knew dogs. Puppies. Not kittens. But Ryou…" 

Seto seemed to lose his train of thought, he was so giddy with barely repressed excitement about his idea. 

"... Is a kitten. Yes." 

Yami smiled reassuringly at his partner. He felt his own nervousness drown out in the way Seto seemed to be so elated. 

"Yes! And he… he likes being a kitten all day he told me. But he can't…" 

"Seto… where are you going with this?" 

In that moment, Ryou woke up. 

He blinked a few times at the Pharaoh, caught in shock at having missed his entrance. He wanted to apologise but he knew he shouldn't talk. So he stared at Seto in shock. 

And then something happened that Yami had never expected. 

Seto turned to Ryou, and even though he didn't move away from Yami's feet, he managed to catch the white haired man's attention. 

"It's okay. He just entered. I'm explaining things. It's okay." 

Ryou rested his head between his paws, apparently appeased and waiting for further instructions. 

Yami was flabbergast. 

"Wait. I've been gone for a few months and…  _ you got yourself a sub?  _ And you think this is the best way to tell me?" 

His voice took a lightly panicked edge. 

"What? No!" 

Seto seemed to be just as startled as he was. 

"No I got… you a sub! I can… see you still struggle with commands. With whips and chains and other play utensils. That's why there is no throne. Yet. Maybe. But I know you are dominant nonetheless and I know you miss it and I know right now I can't give to you what you need but… he can." 

He pointed to the white ball of floof on the bed. 

"He's harmless. He doesn't want pain. Or orders. Or sex. Ryou dreams about a place to call home. A blanket to curl up on. A bowl to drink out of and a bed to sleep on when his master feels generous." 

Understanding began to bloom on Yami's face, unraveling his features like a flower their petals. Tears welled up in his eyes like morning dew and his heart was full of warmth. 

Seto had done  _ that _ . For him. Found what he needed. Found the perfect client. Brought him here. Organised everything. Apparently, somehow, made friends with him. Seto had grown more in the last half a year than he had at any point during Yami's active attempts. 

It stung, in a good and bad way. 

Good, because Seto had done incredible things for him. Bad, because it had needed trauma to get him to do it. Again. 

"Okay so… how do you imagine this? I'm going to start sessions again? With Ryou? Do you want to be around or not? Should we do it here?" 

Yami was interrupted by a nose poking into his leg and a lick to the back of his thigh, across his pants. Right. The rest of the studio was waiting outside. 

"I'll be with you in a minute, Jou. Good boy. Thank you. You're such a good puppy. Run to Mai and get a treat." 

He immediately took off. 

Returning his attention to his partner, Yami trained his eyes first on Ryou and then on Seto. 

"I don't… know if you should return to the studio yet… Pharaoh." 

"What else would I do?" 

Yami was in no hurry either, but wasn't all of this meant to mark his return? Even a completely ready sub waiting in his bed? 

"How do you imagined things to progress from here?" 

Seto looked over his shoulder at the other man, who now softly moved his ass in agitation, dragging the tail across the sheets. 

"I wanted to bring him home. I always wanted a pet but Mokuba is allergic. Ryou wants nothing more but a place to live as a kitten and an owner, or multiple ones, and you can get back on track slowly in a safe environment, until you feel ready for the studio again?" 

The kitten on his bed nodded, obviously excited and scared. It was evident Seto and him talked about this forever. If they should ask Yami. How things would work out. 

"Okay so just to make sure I understand completely… Ryou… moves in with us? Because you two became friends last month? And when you're at work, Ryou is protecting and guarding me? And he's our kitten? 24/7?" 

Both men nodded. 

"And you are… completely cool with that? Both of you are fine with all the conditions, maybe even more we might figure out as we go?" 

Both men nodded. 

Yami blinked. 

"What.. Would Mokuba say?" 

The taller sub smiled, proud of himself and rightfully so. 

"I already introduced them to each other…" 

"How did he react?" 

"He… petted him. And fed him Tuna." 

Ryou nodded enthusiastically, his thoughts about Mokuba were filled with warmth and affection. 

With a soft smile, Yami took all the information in. There was only one worry left. One thing on his mind still nagging at him. 

"Won't you be jealous, Seto?" 

Seto straightened up from where he bowed slightly against Yami's legs. 

"Well that is the thing. He will be  _ our  _ kitten." 

Realisation glistened in Yami's eyes. 

Whatever this was, it would be something new. Something exciting. He wanted to try it. He wanted to get back into his old life, one step at a time. 

He'd refuse to let the dark spirit win.

No more Yami Marik.

No more Marik. 

Only Yami. 

And his family. 

"Deal?" 

Seto smiled up with an uncharacteristically hopeful glint in his eyes. Something Yami hadn't seen in months. Something, that signaled a new beginning. He would start anew. He fell, and he hurt and he'd get up again. 

"Deal." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to know more about the Pharaoh's new kitten, you can read the most recent one-shot here.  
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/19292680
> 
> We initially didn't plan to keep Ryou as a character, but... you know.  
> He was just too cute. And we love Taedae too much. 
> 
> Please leave us a comment. They feed us.  
> Knowing people read this means the world to us.  
> Thank you for your time, as always. 
> 
> Love, Ajenomi.


	20. Maybe it’s not too late To turn back and walk away But I kinda wanna stay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends, welcome to the second-to-last chapter.  
> This chapter contains a graphic scene of bloodplay, framed with those  
> \--------~~~~~~~~----------
> 
> If you don't enjoy bloodplay, you can skip over this part without missing story parts.

“Your Majesty?” 

“Mhhmm?”

“I’ve got to go. Can I go out like this?”  
Seto twirled in front of his boyfriend, showing off one of his newer suits. 

Yami barely opened his eyes.  
“Sure.” 

The taller man smirked.

“You didn’t even look.”  
  
“I don’t have to. I know you look good.” 

Nonetheless, the Pharaoh opened his eyes and squinted at Seto.  
“Yup. Looks nice.” 

His head flopped back against the pillow. 

But Yami pursed his lips, offering Seto one last kiss before he left. 

Or a second to last kiss, because, before he finally headed out for the day, he walked to the end of the bed and sat down there, too. 

“And you are going to look out for the Pharaoh today, won’t you?” 

His voice was uncharacteristically soft and sweet, his hand carefully as it stroked the white hair. 

Beneath his fingers, Ryou purred happily. He twisted his head around to move it into the touch, smiling gently. It had been a month since the young man had moved in, and they were all surprisingly content with it. 

Everyone simply treated him as a pet most of the time.

Only when Ryou took off his collar and stood up, they would treat him as a human, but that didn’t happen very often and everyone liked the way it was. 

Mokuba had surprised them the most, since the teenager seemed to easily adapt to the newest addition of their weird family. Yami found them one day, huddled up together on the sofa in the living room, Ryou in a big, fuzzy sweater, shorts with a tail sewn to them and cat ears on, his head resting in Mokuba’s lap. 

The dom had sat back at the dinner table and listened to them, letting the other two men know he was there so he wouldn’t feel like an intruder too much but not participating in the conversation himself. 

It was one of the few situations in which Ryou was actually talking while still in his kitten attire, so whatever conversation they were having had naturally developed and had not been planned. Yami tried to follow the softly spoken words and his heart felt full. 

“... and therefore this is a kink thing for you?” 

“Mmmhmm..” 

“Can I ask you about it a bit? I don’t want to pry, but-”

“Sure.” 

Mokuba adjusted himself to accommodate Ryou better. He wanted to see his face while they spoke. Yami had taught him, that mimic and gesture in a conversation partner were essential in understanding what they struggled to say.

“Is this sexual for you? With Yami and my brother, I mean?”  
He felt nervous. Not because of the answer, Mokuba was a lot more open minded than his brother, more open minded than a lot of people. He had met Shizuka, Honda and Ootogi. The younger Kaiba was well aware that poly couples could work out. 

The only fear that clung to him was the worry, that Ryou could misunderstand his intentions. That he could think he didn’t want him as part of their relationship. 

Sure, he wasn’t exactly _eager_ for it, but the idea didn’t repulse him either. 

Oh, how much Gozaburo would hate that. 

Maybe Mokuba should hope for it after all. 

Ryou shifted a little, seemed nervous but not afraid. 

He often seemed nervous when he was expected to act like a human. 

When he was in his kitten mindset however, all worry seemed to leave his body. 

“No. Yes. No.” 

He bit his lip. 

“I’m… I don’t feel sexual attraction, if that is the question. To neither of them.” 

“Oh.” 

Mokuba blinked, his long, dark eyelashes brushing his cheek softly. 

“You aren’t gay? Sorry. I just… kind of assumed…” 

His eyes wandered to the tail and Ryou followed their pace, smiling slightly. 

Both of them knew, that the one on the pants was often enough replaced with a plug. 

“No. I’m not gay…” 

“So you are… straight? Or… bi, or pan, or demi?” 

Mokuba raked his brain for all the things Yami had told him about different sexualities, for all the things he had seen and heard from the studio. 

“Neither.”  
Ryou shrugged, his shoulders moving against the taller man’s leg. 

Mokuba had grown quite a bit over the last one and a half years and was now a good bit taller than both Yami and Ryou. 

He frowned, desperate to try to understand.

“If you don’t like labels, that is okay, too, of course…”

Yami had told him some people didn’t like to restrict themselves like that. 

“Mmhmm... No, I…” 

Starting to fidget, Ryou averted his eyes. He hated talking back. 

The only reason he hadn’t just agreed and swallowed his comment down was because he understood that Mokuba was actually actively trying to make an effort and understand him.

“I’m asexual…” 

Again, the younger Kaiba blinked in confusion. 

“Oh. But…” 

His eyes wandered to the tail once more, before he scolded himself. 

Pet play wasn’t sexual for everyone! 

“Nevermind.” 

“It’s… fine. I like talking to you.”  
Ryou smiled up genuinely.

“Just ask, I promise I’ll try not to misunderstand it.”

“You.. .sleep in their bed… Yami plays with you, right? Sometimes?” 

“Yes?” 

“But if you… don’t like sex… how does this work?” 

Ryou bit his lip. He felt a little anxiety twist his guts about how intimate this conversation suddenly was. Averting his eyes, he tried his best to avoid Mokuba’s eyes, his cheeks red, but he was willing to push through his shyness to help a friend understand the situation. 

His situation. 

They had agreed on open communication from the first day on, all of them. 

“Well I just.. sleep there? And spend time with them? I’m not part of their playing. Just.. their pet. You wouldn’t let a ‘real’ cat interact with you during intercourse either, right?” 

He was beet red now and hid half of his face behind his hands, but Ryou did his very best to make this understandable. 

But the next part would be the hardest to explain. 

Only the fact that Mokuba was a great listener and open ally allowed him to open up about that part, anyway. 

“I…” Oh god, why was this so hard… “I never said I don’t like sex, though…” 

Mokuba tilted his head.

This was getting more and more confusing at the minute. 

“... But you said… you are asexual…” 

“That is the label I chose for myself, yes. But ‘asexual’ only means ‘a person who does not experience sexual attraction’. So… I don’t feel attracted to them. I look at them and see beauty and aesthetics the way you might appreciate fine art. But that doesn’t mean I don’t.. like the way… oh god… sorry.”  
  
He took a deep breath. 

“...That doesn’t mean I don’t like how it feels to orgasm? It… relaxes me. Calms my anxiety sometimes. It’s… physical pleasure. Like a sugar high? I don’t know… how to explain it. Some asexual people are sex repulsed. There actually is a lot of gatekeeping and nit picking about the term. Some people say we don’t exist, even though studies found that one in a hundred people is ace. Some of us have sex. Others don’t. Some consider ‘demi’ as part of the ace spectrum. Some don’t. Some of us are aromantic. Some aren’t. There is a lot of grey area, not just black and white. Actually, that is what the grey in the pride flag stands for. It consists of four stripes, the black represents asexuality, the gray stripe represents gray-aces and demisexuals, the white stripe represents allies, and the purple stripe represents the community. So I guess… by that definition I am a grey ace because…” 

Another deep breath. 

This was far too personal for comfort but it felt necessary to avoid future confusion.

“I enjoy the physical feeling of… being sexually stimulated. But I am not sexually attracted to people.” 

Mokuba had listened to his new friend at full attention. 

That was interesting. He hadn’t known about those things. 

“So it’s… a lot more complex than I thought.” 

“Yes…” 

\------------

It wasn’t complex for them. 

When they were alone, it was the easiest thing in the world. 

Within a few days, everyone had figured out their place in the weird bundle of relationships and where they were at.

Yami had expected Seto to be jealous as soon as things got serious. 

But to his surprise, it never happened. 

Instead, the taller man interacted with their pet in a loving and careful way he had never seen in Seto’s interactions with Jou. 

Ryou blossomed in their care and with him Yami was blooming up again, too. 

Seto’s plan seemed to work. 

Whenever he had to leave for work, he said his goodbyes to both of them, then Mokuba and him left. This morning was no different. Yami had to judge his outfit, remind him of his tasks, give him a kiss, and then just continue being the night owl he was born to be. 

Since the evening in the cellar, his relationship with the darkness had changed, though.  
Some nights he couldn’t stand it and needed a night light in every room he might step into, some nights he actually sought out the darkness to blanket himself in the silence and hide from the world and the responsibilities for a while. 

Wherever he went, Ryou was with him. 

Sometimes in human clothes, but when possible in the uniform they had chosen for him. 

He had always dreamed of being a service sub. Wanted a family to care for. 

Ryou cleaned and cooked and organised and he loved every minute of it, but what he loved most where the cuddles in between. 

When he pressed his face to Yami’s leg and he would play with his hair while writing bills. 

When he was allowed to sleep on Mokuba’s lap in the living room while watching a movie. 

When Seto gave him his favorite snacks and scratched his neck while he ate. 

It was finally peaceful again. 

Today, they had a mission, though. 

Because after the new chamber for the Pharaoh had been set up, today the new clinic room would be reopened. 

So Yami and Ryou would go to the studio in the early afternoon and see how it turned out.

They would meet Seto and Mokuba there later. The younger Kaiba had fought tooth and nail to be allowed inside the studio and to be included in group activities. In the end, they decided to accept him there, but only while no sessions were running. 

After all, he was still a minor. It didn’t matter that Japan’s official age of consent was 13 years. 

Not that it really made a difference, he had a house sub and pet at home and his brother with his boyfriend weren’t exactly shy with showing their tendencies either. 

A few hours later and around a time people who weren’t starting their work in the middle of the night would get up, Ryou gently uncurled from the blanket.  
  
He put on his uniform. 

The cat ears, his oversized fluffy sweater, knee protectors over thigh high socks, and underwear with the tail on it. 

Normally, when Mokuba wasn’t around, Ryou preferred to wear a tail plug, but he wasn’t supposed to insert it himself and Yami was sleeping in for once. 

So he hurried downstairs, careful not to make a noise so he wouldn’t startle his dom awake, and started to prepare the food the chef had put in the fridge for them.  
  
Ryou put tea and their meals onto a tray and walked back to the joined bedroom, careful not to spill anything. He felt weird walking upright in his uniform and would have liked crawling much better, but he needed his hands to carry the food. 

Once upstairs, he placed the tray on the bed and took his own plate, carrying it to his food bowl that had been rinsed between meals. 

They didn't tell their cook, how Ryou preferred to eat his meals, and it wasn't necessary, because it was no big deal to just shove it off the plate and into his bowl. 

When everything was set up, he jumped onto the bed again and carefully crawled over to Yami, slumping down against him and purring contently. 

The Pharaoh, awoken by the movement, tugged his arms closer around the soft body in his arms. 

"Is Seto already gone?" 

"Mmmhmmm…" 

"Ah shit… I didn't even realize…" 

Ryou titled his head. Yami had spoken to Seto, even confirmed his choice of clothing and they had spoken about the day, but… the Dom was used to doing these things in auto pilot. 

"Anyway… oh. You made breakfast?" 

He smiled happily at the kitten in his arms, then withdrew to turn around and check what was there. 

Ryou closed the distance Yami's movements had created and scooted closer once more, curling against the warm body. He was thin, and therefore almost always feeling cold. 

While Yami enjoyed his food, he dragged his kitten onto his lap, gently lowering Ryou's underwear and caressing the soft skin of his ass. 

For some reason, that always seemed to calm him. 

"Do you miss your tail?" 

Ryou looked up at him, eyes wide and hopeful. They both knew, that the tail on top of his clothes couldn't ever replace the feeling of a plug and the connection between him and his pet persona that it provided. 

"Fetch it." 

Now moments like those were difficult for the kitten. Because every fiber of his body wanted to obey the Dom and fulfill his order. But he also knew this wasn't what most cats would do. He wasn't a puppy, after all. So instead he curled more into Yami's touch, but didn't move. 

With a grin on his lips, Yami watched him. He could clearly see the discomfort in Ryou's eyes, noted how _much_ the other one wanted to obey but did his best to stay in his role, and therefore his headspace. 

He got up and walked over to the food station, where Ryou's bowl was standing, untouched since he hadn't been allowed to eat yet. Equipped with both the bowl and the food, Yami made his way back to his kitten. 

"Eat something. We have an eventfull day ahead. If you're good, I'll give you your tail afterwards.”

Ryou nodded, slowly but surely falling deeper into his headspace now that his handler and caretaker was awake and interacted with him. 

They ate in silence, both of them calm and peaceful. Yami was still getting twitchy when things got _too_ quiet, but with Ryou next to him, he didn't feel alone anymore during Kaiba's work hours. And when he heard a noise that scared him, he had an explanation now. The cat. 

Maybe it wasn't always true, but it was comforting. 

Once they finished their food, he took his time to play a little with his pet, knowing that the upcoming activities of the day could otherwise be a little stressful for both of them. 

Ryou received his tail, since he had been a good boy and eaten up all his food. The young man struggled with eating most of the time. He used to be much thinner than now, but Yami's care and meal plans had slowly brought him back to a healthy weight. 

Once the food was cleaned away, Yami put a leash around Ryou's neck and gently guided him into what used to be a guest bedroom. A long long time ago. 

When the Pharaoh had moved in with Seto, they had renovated the house a little, so now it wasn't exactly a fully equipped studio room, but… it would be enough to make every little housewife blush, as Yami liked to describe it. 

Of course, that didn't count for Mokuba. As soon as he had found it, he ran around, looking everything over and spending hours in there, having Yami explain the use of each and every utensil to him. 

When Ryou moved in, Kaiba had ordered the cat tree to be brought over and it had gotten its own space in the room, together with a pet bed, a food and water bowl station and various equipment. 

Suddenly feeling a bit nervous, Yami unclipped Ryou's leash. "Go and enjoy your scratching post. Are you fine with me rambling a little during the meantime?" 

He knew what was about to come would demand a lot from him. It used to be easy. Used to be unproblematic and something Yami didn't need to prepare but now… 

In his hands he held a sheet of paper with detailed instructions for a scene he had written over the last few days. Not for himself. But for his apprentice. 

Ryou nodded at his question and looked at Yami with loving eyes, before he ran off to play with the human sized you?. He listened to Yami's words and descriptions, listened as the Dom practised his stern voice again and did his best to find his strict tone. 

It wasn't only a headspace thing for subs. 

Taking control of someone was a lot of work and responsibility and Yami had to actively choose to insert himself in scenes again. Right now he simply didn't feel so dominant. But it had improved since he had gotten his pet and Yami was surprised to realize Seto's plan had been working. 

The longer he explained what he was going to do, the more natural it felt. He still didn't feel ready to dom in a professional setting with someone he didn't trust as well as his two subs, but… Yami was getting confident he could handle teaching again.

When Ryou let go of his scratch post and instead curled up in his pet bed, Yami knew they could leave. 

"Come on kitten, let's go to the studio."

He would have loved to walk around with Ryou and his leash outside, and sometimes they did in the garden, even though the snow made crawling unpleasant, but as soon as they left the Kaiba property, they'd have to look proper. 

The media was still hunting Yami, trying to catch glimpses of Seto Kaiba's partner, that appeared and disappeared out of nothing and into the darkness. Since they had been photographed with Ryou a few times, the paparazzi hadn't exactly eased up on the situation. 

Today was calmer though, so Ryou and Yami could leave without any further problems, something the Pharaoh was grateful for. One of Kaiba's security men drove them to the studio. Yami wouldn't go anywhere without protection anytime soon. 

Seto had made sure of that and frankly Yami didn't mind at all. He liked feeling safe. 

When they climbed out of the car, they made their way into the studio, where Yugi happily greeted them. 

With a grin, the Dom asked for Pharaoh's treasure and Yugi handed him the key to the clinic room, smirking himself. 

"They are already waiting for you." 

He pocketed the key and pulled the leash out of his backpack so he could click it back into Ryou's collar once they passed the door behind the counter. 

Yami took a deep breath as soon as they stood in _his_ studio again. He had been here a few times to check how things were developing and to see his new play room, but today… he would have to walk down into the cellar of the building, where his tomb used to be and where the clinic room was today. 

But first, they would strip and, in Yami's case, change. The studio was warm, even though it was the middle of winter. 

Ryou, who had worn loose sweat pants over his tail, took them off, happily swishing the newly freed, artificial appendage. He further took off the hoodie, although he looked much more regretful of that, but only until Yami gestured for him to get into his harness. 

The Pharaoh himself was wrapped into a long robe, not very practical, but he felt pretty, and he hadn't done that in his work clothes for a long time. Yami wouldn't have to do much right now, anyway. 

When their clothes were stored away, he decided to face the descent to his former room, where he knew Ootogi and Honda would be waiting. He carried a cat blanket and some toys with himself and once he entered and had greeted his friends, Yami took the time to set up the resting area for Ryou. 

Then, he turned to his friends. 

\---------- 

His hands were sweating. 

But Yami didn't let anyone know. 

His discomfort was invisible from the outside, just as he wished it would be. 

He planted his legs apart, taking a stance he hoped would exude power. 

Yami _knew_ he wasn't the same impressive figure anymore, it was painfully obvious his charisma wasn't working like it used to be.

But that was no reason to stick his head into the sand or run away. He would learn again. 

_Fake it till you make it._

"Okay. I prepared a work sheet for you." 

He handed it over to Ootogi, waiting for him to read it quietly and understand what he was supposed to do. 

Yami had deliberately chosen easy things. He knew his apprentice was more advanced than that, especially because time didn't stop for him in the last half a year and Mai had continued to train him, but… if he was honest with himself, Yami wasn't comfortable with some toys right now. 

Ootogi nodded, knowing this wasn't his place to speak up about the lack of some of his favorite utensils. 

He was almost ready to officially start doming on his own, not only in practise sessions or as assistant but as an actual Dom. Since he was a switcher, his training as Submissive had been done before.

Now Ootogi felt ready and, despite of everything that had happened to him, Yami was proud. 

Proud of the studio. Proud of the family they were. 

"Begin." 

Yami settled on the counter, where some needles and scalpels were prepared. 

He wasn't sure why of all things he had chosen a blood play session. 

Or actually, he was sure.

Because of the aftercare. 

Because he needed to see someone, who was cut open and patched back up, that was cuddled and loved and kissed. 

He was determined to find a new meaning in the scars gracing his body now. 

Not the ones with Marik's initials. He'd get rid of them as soon as possible. 

But the smaller cuts and bruises and wounds, that Seto had cleaned and patched up and kissed.

Yami wanted to see the love in those acts again, not the hatred that had caused them. 

"Do the scene as you would normally do, but please talk out loud while you think so I know what's going on." 

"Yes, Pharaoh." 

Yami smiled a little, before he even realised he was doing it. 

Oh. 

Apparently he was getting used to his title again. Ryou and Seto had helped him with it, without a doubt. But he hasn't expected for it to feel so natural out of someone else's mouth. 

"Okay so first I…"

He looked over his shoulder and searched for Yami's eyes but the latter one only raised both of his hands, palms towards Ootogi.

_You're on your own. You can do it._

"... I strap the patient to the bed."

He could hear the silent "Right?" in the air, but Yami stayed silent, only watching. 

Although there was one thing he had to make sure of.

"Talk to him. Tell him, not me. He needs your guidance." 

"Yes. Yes sure your Majesty." 

Ootogi was uncharacteristically nervous. Maybe because Yami was there, not only as his mentor but as his traumatized friend. But he was determined to push through his insecurities and make the Dom proud. If this was his part of getting him back onto his feet, Ootogi was happy to help, just like Honda was. 

The latter one wasn't exactly a kinky person, but the circus had helped him realise, how many different ways there were to playing and he chose to be the lab rat for the new clinic room. 

Most people would have been nervous at the slightly scared aura Ootogi seemed to radiate, but it seemed his partner trusted him fully. He allowed the other man to strap him down on the clinic bed. 

Yami felt his stomach churn when he thought about how unpleasant he had felt when he was immobilized, but Honda looked almost blissful. Maybe he didn't have it in himself anymore. Maybe he wasn't meant to be a Dom, not after what had happened, not after he was scared of what he loved, not after… 

Yami blinked and looked down to his hands. In front of him on the floor was Ryou, one of Yami's fingers in his mouth, sucking gently. 

He blinked a few times and watched in amazement, as a smile bloomed on Ryou's face. Instead of releasing the digits, he sucked a second finger in, only continuing to confuse Yami. 

Ryou did his best to suck the excess saliva off, then smiled and got on his hind legs so he could rest his head against Yami's thigh. 

Oh. 

The Pharaoh smiled, only now clueing into the fact, that Ryou must have seen him brooding and decided to distract him. 

Smiling back, he whispered softly:

"Good boy. Thank you." 

Then, his hand diving into Ryou's beautiful, soft hair, Yami refocused on the scene. 

By now, Ootogi was completely done fastening his boyfriend to the bed. He tested the restraints just like Yami had showed him hundreds of times. The joints were free, the blood circulation wasn't restricted, tactile stimulation was not influenced and the sub was comfortable. 

He nodded to himself when Ootogi explained the safe word and traffic light system again, everyone in the room had heard it multiple times, but it was always important to repeat, no matter how routined the playing was. 

"Try to relax, the Pharaoh and I will be back in a few seconds… then the scene will start. Are you ready? Do you feel up to playing?" 

Honda nodded.

"Do you have any worries or concerns?"

He shook his head. 

"Good. Your Majesty, would you mind accompanying me?" 

Yami hopped off the counter and gestured for Ryou to go and lay down in his pet bed, who ran off excitedly to play in silence. 

\--------- ~~~~~--------- 

  


"Nurse?" 

Ootogi looked up and smiled expectantly at Yami, stretching out his hand. 

"Ready the scalpel please." 

Yami grinned and grabbed the sharp metal object, his latex clad hands surprisingly steady as he worked. 

It had been a good idea from Mai to start in a different scenario. Not as the Pharaoh, but merely as an assistant. Ootogi had been concerned. Of course. 

It wasn't exactly easy for him to treat his boss like a subordinate. But the latex dress with the nurse theme helped. Ootogi himself was wearing scrubs, a mask hiding his slightly nervous smile. 

He was wearing latex gloves, too.

And even though he was excited and a bit unsure, his hand was steady. Yami was proud. 

Handing over the scalpel, he looked for Ryou, watching the kitten from the corner of his eye. It comforted him. But having Seto around would comfort him more. 

Suppressing a sigh, Yami returned his gaze to the patient strapped to the clinic bed. 

Ootogi was currently cleaning an area of skin, carefully dragging the swab soaked in disinfectant over freshly shaved skin. 

Honda hissed quietly at the pain, they had consciously chosen a brand, that burned a little. Like the pain version of tingling lube, as Mai had said. Yami smiled. 

Once everything was prepared, Ootogi looked at his partner again. He was overly careful, but Yami appreciated it. It was better to ask a thousand times and continuously receive consent, than to be unsure. 

"Do you know your safe word? The traffic light code? Are you sure you want this?" 

They would immediately stop the scene of necessary, safety and consent were more important than anything else. 

"Yes doctor."

A kind smile graced Honda's lips, he looked like a happy puppy. Maybe he was. 

"I know you'd never hurt me. Not really." 

It meant a lot to Ootogi, who lacked experience in this area. Almost shily, he looked at his boss to ask for permission to start. Yami closed his eyes slowly and nodded. _Go ahead._

Honda was blindfolded. He had known it would happen, so he smiled, watching his boyfriend with the scalpel before his eyes were fully hidden. 

The nurse turned Pharaoh watched his colleague place the object on the skin, but the bladed side was turned upwards. They had planned a little fear play in advance. 

Instead of cutting the skin immediately, the blunt side was gently dragged over the sensitive flesh, causing the sub to gasp excitedly and buck his hips.

_Good thing he was strapped in, or else this could have been dangerous. At least with a real blade._

Yami could see the tension in his patients body, straining against the cuffs holding him down. His breath was labored in seconds, shallow and quick. 

At least, if he'd pass out, he was already laying down. 

They carried on for a while and Yami watched the gentle interactions with a full and happy heart. Ootogi made sure to kiss and comfort his partner regularly. This wasn't just another session for him, it was a testament to their bond and trust and it was obvious in the way both of them behaved. 

Quickly, soft whimpers fell from the subs lips and Yami could see the thin hospital robe he was wearing was tented. 

Honda really seemed to be into it. 

Taking their sweet time to rile him up, Yami started to relax into his roll more and more. It was getting easier over time and he welcomed the slight rush that was starting to spark up within him.

There was no comparing to the feeling of him actively playing and the rush of someone begging at his feet, but… he was slowly starting to get back to himself. 

Before long, he heard familiar words fill the room, first quietly, then crescendoing into whimpers and begs loud enough to startle Ryou. 

"Please. Please… _please…"_

But Ootogi wanted to make sure and Yami appreciated this with him. 

"What are you begging for, good sir?" 

"Please doctor… please… cut me…" 

Out of nothing, a chill rolled down Yami's spine. That felt… Different. 

He checked his colleagues eyes. 

Clear, no hint of losing himself in it, focused and absolutely there. 

Ootogi had noticed he was being watched, so he looked up, a silent question in his eyes. _May I?_

Yami nodded. 

He licked his lips, more nervous than he liked to be and watched the other dom place the thin blade on the skin. 

He still had the safety speech present in his head and the way Ootogi guided the blade made it obvious, that he knew, too. 

_Very light pressure. Scalpels are sharp. The cuts are thin, but if you're not careful, you will cut too deep._

Every tool had its own specialities one had to take into consideration. 

_Razor blades are even thinner. You can place very precise cuts, but it's easy to hurt yourself with them, too. They might trigger people._

Yami watched the first beads of light, red blood spill out and pool on the surface. Accompanied by deep, dark moans spilling from Honda's lips in the same manner. He blinked a few times. 

_Knives have a wider blade. The cut is more shallow with the same pressure, but wider. They might scar._

He watched a few drops wobble dangerously, before they started to run down the fixated arm, leaving trails of screaming red in their wake. 

_Even daggers and swords are possible. Normally you cut away clothes with them, or scrape the skin. They can help to remove wax easily._

His mouth felt dry when one of them fell off the arm and onto the prepared pad beneath. Yami swallowed. 

He noticed neither Ryou's eyes, nor Ootogi's on him. 

_Wrongly placed cuts can result in severely bleeding wounds or stabbings. You have to be very careful and know exactly where to work. There are areas, where you shouldn't cut._

They had discussed, where veins and arteries were located beneath the skin, which areas to use and how to prepare them properly. 

_Knife play wasn't supposed to cut. Only scratch. Not much blood should be involved and the wound should heal within a few days._

Yami suddenly felt his side tingle and burn a little. He pressed a hand on his own stab wounds. 

_Wasn't supposed to cut._

_Not much blood._

_Should heal within days._

The scratches he had watched bleed down his arm slightly were already closing up again, Ootogi was extremely careful and Honda was obviously happy and enjoying himself. There was no need to panic. 

_Wasn't supposed to cut._

_Not much blood._

_Should heal within days._

He didn't realise his own breathing was quickening and his eyes were dilated. But in contrast to the happily squirming sub, this wasn't enjoyable to Yami. Not anymore. 

**_Wasn't supposed to cut._ **

**_Not much blood._ **

**_Should heal within days._ **

Suddenly, there was a nudge against his hand. 

Ryou. 

Sitting next to him, looking up with big, concerned eyes. 

Right. 

He was here. 

Not in the basement. 

At least not in the basement of the museum. 

This was fine. 

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, before reopening them and training them on Honda, his hand buried in Ryou's hair. 

This was fine. 

Yami loved this. 

He wouldn't let Marik ruin his life.

Not anymore. 

This was fine. 

Taking a calming breath, he looked at the other dom first and then at his kitten, before he smiled. 

He would be fine. 

\--------~~~~~~~~----------

"Were you scared?" 

Ryou looked at him, his head tilted to the side. Normally he wouldn't talk while in his kitten position, but he had felt Yami's distress and wanted to help. 

"I was… overwhelmed." 

It was the truest thing he could say right now without feeling like admitting to defeat. 

Honda and Ootogi had left to cuddle in one of the other rooms, focusing on cleaning the sub and providing aftercare, but Yami had stayed behind, waiting for a while. 

Ryou was sitting at his feet, snuggling against him and obviously craving attention. Enough to speak. 

"I was overwhelmed, but I'll be okay. I… thought it would be worse."

The session hadn't exactly been timid, including different kinds of needle play and even some force feeding on top, but he had held himself high through all of it. Now he felt tired. 

"Did Seto say something about picking us up?" 

Ryou thought back about their conversation in the morning. "He mentioned wanting to meet us at the studio…" 

Yami smiled. 

His boyfriend was an angel. 

It was remarkable how much things had changed. 

"Do you want me to check?" 

"Sure.. I… think I'll change and get ready to head home?" 

"Are you asking _me_ , master?"

Ryou chuckled, craning his neck up in an attempt to show Yami his submission, while still trying to show him his loving smile. 

"I'm _informing_ you." 

Both of them knew that wasn't really true. Yami _had_ asked. But Ryou reminding him that he was supposed to make his own decisions was helping him to remember his dominance. 

The pet crawled out of the room, looking more graceful than anyone with an artificial tail, knee protection and a harness should look like. 

After a few minutes he came back to Yami in his robes again. 

"Master?" 

He gave Yami a captivating smile. 

"Would… would you mind.. until my other master arrives… to… spend some time with me?" 

He offered his neck again, rubbing up to Yami's leg like a cat in heat. 

How was he supposed to say no to that? 

Ryou didn't often ask for pleasure. Most of the time he felt secure in his role as a pet, and as a pet alone. Since he felt no sexual attraction to others, it was uncommon for him to ask for assistance in pleasuring himself, even though he enjoyed the feeling of an orgasm. 

"Sure… do you… have something specific in mind? We could.. test out the new room? My Pharaoh chambers?" 

Yami smiled and scratched Ryou's head but he had other plans. 

"Uuuhm... no… no… I would like to stay _here_ master, if that's fine? Please?" 

Now that was _really_ unusual. Ryou had no clinic kink. No interest in sharp objects or needles. Yami was confused. 

"Here? But why? This room… isn’t exactly fit for your needs?" 

Ryou bit his lip. 

"Maybe the mirror room? Please? Some light sensation play?" 

That was… even weirder. Ryou was fine with walking around in the basement but not with going upstairs? Even though there was much more equipment for him? 

"I want to… watch myself?"

He tilted his head, looking hopeful. 

Yami squinted in retaliatiation. Something was going on. 

“Fine. Let’s go to the mirror room.” 

Ryou squealed in happiness. That was strange. He rarely asked for anything, and if he did, he was ashamed for it most of the time, as if his needs somehow made him into a burden, even though Yami had asked his pet to hand over his dreams and fears multiple times. 

He took the makeshift pet bed and carried it to the mirror room. 

“Do you want me to go upstairs and-” 

“NO!” 

Yami smiled. 

So that was it. 

He didn’t know what was going on, but at least he had a destination to direct his thoughts to. 

But first… Ryou. 

He opened the second room in the basement, which was completely plastered with glass panels. Wherever you turned around to, your body was already there, looking at you. It was mesmerizing and or creepy, depending on the light and music they chose for the scene. 

Yami was determined to keep it light and comfortable. 

The room was filled with warm, indirect light emitting from LED Panels hidden in the walls and the cracks between the mirrors. He turned the heating up, the room was cold since no scene had been planned here. 

Choosing a comforting music, he threw the pet bed on the floor. 

Ryou curled up in it, before he extended his arms to invite Yami in for cuddles. 

He loved cuddles. In contrast to most cats, Ryou never scratched. He simply curled up and cuddled for hours on end. 

“Do you want me to dom you or pet you?” 

“Both?” 

He tilted his head, again looking so hopeful it hurt Yami’s heart. 

“Ryou… we are here because you asked for a scene. Do you want it or not? Don’t get me wrong, if you aren’t feeling it, we don’t have to play. And if you want to cuddle, we can do that. But not in the cold, empty basement. So tell me. Do you want to get off or should we head back up?” 

Yami didn’t care something was going on upstairs. He didn’t want to stay in here any minute longer than he had to. 

“Nooooo.”

This time, Ryou whined and rolled around, offering up his stomach. 

He tried to appear as submissive as he could, while still making his point of staying. 

“I can see you aren’t comfortable with anything sexual right now. I’m not going to play with you like this just because you have gotten the task to keep me in the basement by _someone._ Your body belongs to me and I am the only person you take orders from. Now tell me what is going on.” 

That was technically not correct. 

Seto had the right to order Ryou around, too. 

But that didn’t matter right now, because Seto wasn’t here. 

The way Ryou reacted to that though… 

Biting his lip, he wiggled around on his back instead of saying anything. 

He neither denied getting an order nor did he confirm it. Clever boy. He kept himself from lying. He also didn’t tell him what was going on. 

“Ryou?” 

“Master?” 

“You got an order.” 

“Oh.” 

He looked conflicted. Apparently Ryou hadn’t realised, that he had to answer. 

“Master… please don’t be angry. I… I didn’t lie. I would never lie to you! I _would_ like to play. But I’m also… a little nervous… I know I can’t deceive you. But please, _pleeeease_ Master, can we stay here a little longer?”  
  
“Why?” 

“Please don’t make me tell you.” 

He drew up an eyebrow. 

“ I swear it’s nothing bad.” 

Yami exhaled dramatically. 

“Okay Ryou. I trust you to make good decisions. I’m staying because you asked so nicely. But we don’t have to play if you are uncomfortable.” 

The kitten blushed, and wiggled harder on his back. 

An invitation to play. 

"Ryou?" 

"Hmmmm…?" 

He ducked his head a little, resulting in a slap to his thighs. Ryou yelped and scrambled to get back on his hands and feet. He ducked his head even lower. 

"What did you do wrong?" 

Hesitation. Ryou watched all the other Ryou's in the room. They stared back. Directly or from the corner of their eyes. Judging him for forgetting the most simple things. 

"I forgot your title, your Majesty." 

"Correct. What kind of punishment do you think you should get for that?" 

The kitten cowered again. Some subs were looking for punishment. Enjoying it. Seeking it out. Ryou hated it with his whole heart. He wanted to be good and good alone. He didn't even need to play, had no urge to be indulged, but wanted to please. That feeling was deeply rooted in his soul and whenever he made a mistake, he started beating himself up for it, until his self loathing reached levels that hurt him more than they helped. 

"That is for you to decide." 

Yami closed his eyes and huffed. He had grown to hate this answer. Yes. It was the _correct_ answer. But when he asked, he wanted to know what his subs thought for real. How severe did they consider their mistakes? Did they need to be pushed harder? Or less? Where they braiding themselves up to a point that was unhelpful? 

"Share your thoughts." 

The subs eyes snapped to and locked with Yami. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, I know better than that, master! I swear I can be a good boy, please don't leave me!" 

He curled into himself again, doing his best to look submissive in every way. 

"Ryou…" 

Yami closed his eyes to find himself again. He took a deep breath and sat down, opening his arms. 

"It's okay I would never leave you for a forgotten title. Come here." 

Ryou blinked up at him.

"But I don't deserve-" 

"Is this your decision?" 

This time, Yami's voice took on a harsher edge, sending Ryou back to a deep bow, his whole front pressed to the stone floor, that was slowly heating up. 

"No, master. I'm sorry master." 

Tears pricked the corner of his eyes. 

"Then come here." 

Ryou looked up. It was obvious he thought he didn't deserve any affection, but he wouldn't risk disobedience. Not again. So instead he crawled to Yami, curling up in his lap. 

"Good boy." 

"Thank you, master." 

Closing his eyes, Ryou allowed Yami, to gently touch him wherever he wanted. 

After a minute, he found his smile again. 

\--------------- 

Yami felt better. 

He had grown to hate physical proximity over the last few months, but… with Ryou, it was easier. Because he was so absolutely harmless. Ryou couldn't harm a fly even if he wanted to. 

When they left the mirror room half an hour later, Ryou looked better, too. 

He was clingy now, but Yami liked that. 

Once they reached the upper levels, he found his partner, patiently waiting for him on his knees, head down and palms on his thighs. 

Yami smiled warmly. 

"Seto!" 

Even before his head was lifted up, a smile curled around Seto's lips, delight washing through him about hearing his Pharaoh's voice. His boyfriend's voice. 

"Go say hi, boy." 

Ryou bolted forward, almost knocking Seto over with how overexcited he was. The CEO happily scratched his pet and smiled at his Dom. 

"You look good in your robes, your Majesty." 

"Thank you baby. You look good on your knees, darling." 

Seto's face lit up more. He abandoned Ryou in favor of crawling forward to press himself against Yami's leg. 

"I missed you so much. How was work?" 

"I missed you, too. And I lived. Ryou helped me calm down, so I helped him a bit." 

Seto nodded against his leg. A tiny twinge of jealousy flared up in him, but he suppressed it as best as he could. 

"Am I allowed to take you home with me, Pharaoh?" 

Contemplating if he forgot anything, Yami finally nodded, heading to the dressers after giving Seto a happy welcome kiss. 

When both him and Ryou were dressed again, they finally headed home. 

\---------- 

It wasn't only cold. It was freezing. 

Seto stepped closer to his Pharaoh and opened his jacket, wrapping it around both of them instead of only keeping himself warm. 

Yami nuzzled into his broad chest, sculpted by healthy meals and regular workouts. It was a little weird, now he was the one with barely any muscles on his body. Months of physical inactivity and the loss of appetite had shrunk his petite body even more, but Seto was gently working him back up. 

Sometimes Yami felt as if their roles had been exchanged. Not in all areas, but- 

"Do you want some hot chocolate?" 

Kaiba spoke up, interrupting his boyfriend's thoughts when he noticed the wrinkly frown on his forehead. 

Yami was grateful for the distraction and agreed, resulting in Seto shooting Ryou a short message. 

The younger man had stayed inside, it was too cold for him, but he'd love to get an order and do something for his owners. 

Kaiba mentally returned to Yami. 

He tightened his hug on his boyfriend, gently kissing the area behind the Pharaoh's ear. 

"The stars are almost as pretty as you are." 

Yami snorted.

"Since when are you so hopelessly romantic?" 

He trailed kisses along his partner's neck. 

"Since I realised how fragile peace is and that I have to fight to stay happy." 

Sighing, Yami drew Seto closer. 

"Is this true?" 

"That I have to fight? Of course." 

He scoffed, tucking his face into the wild, tricolored hair. 

"No. That you are happy." 

"Oh." 

For a minute, it was quiet and Yami started to look around. The garden of Kaiba Manor was dark, and the stripped trees bared by a harsh winter stood in stiff silence against an inky night sky. From time to time, a cold breeze picked up and tried to shake the remnants of life from their twigs, but fall had already ensured that nothing was left to capture. 

It wasn't snowing in the moment and the little snowflakes morning had brought had thawed into dirty slush, currently freezing back to the dirt that had been unwilling to accept any more water. 

The soil was hard, frozen in time and right now in the middle of a never ending February night, it didn't feel like winter would ever end. 

'Cold' wasn't just a temperature right now. It was a feeling of numb toes and burning ears. The noise of whispering and screaming wind. The taste of mint and the scent of wet, unrelenting soil. The sensation of walking home alone from a bus stop too far away in the middle of the night. 

"Yeah… I think I'm happy." 

Yami felt warm. 

\-------- 

"Pharaoh?" 

Seto squeezed around Yami's chest. 

"Ryou said the cocoa is ready." 

Yami blinked. 

He had stared into the stars for so long, that he felt like he had started floating away. 

He blinked once more, then unglued his eyes from the galaxies so far away. 

"Isn't it weird that we only ever see the past of the stars? They could all be gone already. There could be new ones and we would never know. Maybe what we see isn't real, and yet we have been watching it for millennia, letting them guide our ships and our hearts." 

Kaiba sighed. His partner was right, but now wasn't the time for philosophical questions. Now was the time for cocoa. 

"Yes, your Majesty. They are… mysterious. But why don't we save the secrets of the galaxy for another day and focus on ourselves tonight?" 

Seto bit his lip. Saying no to Yami was complicated, not only because of his position, but also because Yami had changed a lot himself. 

"Please may I ask you to head to the kitchen to get some cocoa?" 

"Can't Ryou bring it over?" 

Shit. 

"He's… Cold. And I am, too. Please, Pharaoh?" 

Yami relented and followed his partner, now leaving the comfort of their joined blanket again and suddenly feeling cold, too. 

They hurried inside. When they stepped into the kitchen however, there wasn't just the person they expected. 

Additionally to Ryou and Mokuba, the whole studio staff was there, holding little hot chocolate cups in their hands. 

Mai raised her cup like a wine glass and toasted to him. "Welcome back to work boss. We missed you. I hope you don't mind this, but Seto invited us for a hot cocoa sleepover. And no one ever said no to _that._ "

She smirked, her words accompanied with the gently laughter of their friends. 

They were all here to celebrate with him. They loved him. The dom felt the reassuring hand of Seto on his back. 

Yami's heart flooded with emotions.

Surprise.

Delight.

Gratefulness. 

His life wasn't perfect. 

But it was his. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are almost done with the story now!  
> Hope you guys liked this chapter and will join us for the last, grande finale.  
> Please leave us a comment if you enjoyed the story! 
> 
> Lots of love,  
> Ajenomi


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